Anthony Edwards knew the rust would fall off with extra playing time and, based on his performance in his first season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the overall pick seems to be at No. 1 last in rhythm on the court.
Edwards scored 15 points, four rebounds and four assists Wednesday to help the Timberwolves to a 111-101 win over the Detroit Pistons. He became the ninth Timberwolves rookie to make a double-digit tour in his NBA debut, and the first from Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015.
The 19-year-old added 11 points by himself in the first half, including seven in the opening period. It helped take a spark off the bench as the Timberwolves slid for much of the first half.
“I feel like I played really, really well,” Edwards said after the game. “I feel like I came off the bench and changed the intensity of the game. That’s exactly it. “
Edwards’ play subsequently won praise from head coach Ryan Saunders. Saunders loved the poise Edwards played with and the way he was able to find his players on the floor.
Saunders pointed to a recent film study that helped Edwards make the correct readings of some plays. Edwards performed these plays, and performed them quickly, something Saunders noticed early on.
“I was very good.” Saunders said. “I’ve been lucky enough to be around a number of young rockets and the post I thought he was playing with and letting the game get to him was really good. He plays with so much force but he also plays with more poise. ”
Edwards thought portions of Wednesday ‘s game were easy, which proves just how comfortable he is now on the court. His ability to pick things up quickly goes a long way in the Timberwolves looking for success this season but it looks like it could be for a strong rookie year.
Minnesota returns to action Saturday vs. the Utah Jazz.