Anthony Edwards turned Minnesota’s opener into a one-man perimeter barrage Wednesday night, dropping 45 points in just over 33 minutes as the Timberwolves ran away from the Miami Heat, 131-106.
Edwards drilled nine 3-pointers, more than Miami’s entire roster managed in the game. The Heat finished 8-for-33 from deep while Edwards went 9-for-17, a number that helped break the game open before his night ended early.
The Timberwolves guard shot 16-for-29 overall, added 10 rebounds and three assists, and scored in every quarter: 12 in the first, nine in the second, 15 in the third and nine more in the fourth.
Edwards joins rare opening-night company
The 45-point outing gave Edwards a second consecutive season-opening game with at least 40 points. He had 41 in last season’s opener at Portland.
That places him alongside Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to record multiple 40-point performances in season openers. Chamberlain posted four straight such games from 1959 through 1962, while Jordan did it in 1986, 1989 and 1995.
When Edwards heard the company he had joined, he could barely contain his reaction.
“Fire,” Edwards said from his locker. “That’s fire.”
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said the setting fit Edwards’ makeup.
“With Anthony’s mindset and abilities, he’s always thrived and lived for and embraced the moments,” Finch said. “And opening night is always going to be a moment.”
Miami’s bench chatter added fuel
Edwards said a Heat player talking from the Miami bench helped sharpen his edge. He said he did not know which player was doing the talking, but the exchange stayed with him as his scoring surge continued.
“He was talking pretty crazy,” Edwards said. “And then when I started talking to him, he didn’t really have too much more to say. I don’t really like that. I think that was pretty much the reason why I was super intense tonight.”
There was another reason Edwards wanted the performance to matter. During the game, his wife sent him a photo of their daughter staying awake beyond bedtime to watch.
“My wife sent me a picture of my daughter watching the game, staying up past her bedtime,” Edwards said. “So, yeah, it meant a little more to me.”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra framed the loss simply: “We got tested.” Minnesota had the answer throughout, with Edwards supplying nearly everything the Timberwolves needed from the opening tip.
