Timberwolves’ Ryan Saunders reacts to Anthony Edwards’ 18-point effort
Once Anthony Edwards wrapped up his season opener, in which he scored 15 points, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders commended the poise that he played with, especially as a rookie.
That was once again on full display in his second NBA game.
On Saturday, the No. 1 overall pick produced 18 points, including nine in the first quarter, two steals and one rebound to lead the Timberwolves’ efforts off the bench in a 116-111 win over the Utah Jazz. He shot 8-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and flashed his overall offensive scoring ability, from driving to the rim to even hitting a Dirk Nowitzki-like fadeaway shot.
The performance by the 19-year-old helped the Timberwolves stay unbeaten to start the season, and it also earned more praise from his head coach afterward.
“Confidence and poise, that’s how I’ll describe him right now,” Saunders said of Edwards. “He is going to be a really, really good player in this league and he already is. He is going to continue to take steps because he has a growth mindset, which is something we love about Ant. I thought he made plays within the offense and you don’t see that a whole lot from a teenager.”
Edwards has totaled 33 points through his first two games in the NBA, the fourth-most by a Timberwolves rookie in their first two games. The poise and confidence he plays with has been evident so far and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Saunders said Edwards improves each time he steps onto the court and hinted that he will eventually have a hard decision to make when it comes to setting the starting lineup based on his early performances. Based on that statement, Edwards could soon find himself in the starting lineup.
Minnesota returns to action on Sunday vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.
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