Anthony Edwards' tough admission explains Timberwolves' loss to Lakers
10/23/2024 10:11 AM
Fresh off a deep run in last season’s playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves have high expectations from themselves as they look to get over the hump and bring home the franchise’s first championship. But on opening night, the Timberwolves slipped on a banana peel, suffering a 110-103 defeat to a Los Angeles Lakers team that looks rejuvenated under new head coach JJ Redick.
The Timberwolves made a seismic change to their roster with less than a month to go before the start of the regular season, trading away longtime face of the franchise Karl-Anthony Towns for a package centered around Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Thus, it didn’t exactly come as a surprise to see Minnesota look like a team that was building chemistry on the fly. Meanwhile, the Lakers brought back mostly the same group of guys that they ended last season with, giving them the edge in continuity.
Integrating Randle and DiVincenzo will take some time for the Timberwolves. It will be a process, and Anthony Edwards recognized that they have to respect the grind that their goals entail.
“We wasn't ready to play. So I agree with Finchy on that part. We came out too relaxed, like people respect us. We got to bring more. Sacramento, we'll be better,” Edwards said, per Chris Hine of The Minnesota Star Tribune.
The Lakers made it a point to attack the heart of the Timberwolves’ defense, especially when Rudy Gobert was not on the floor. They scored 72 points in the paint — an incredible number that calls into question the team’s effort level on opening night.
The fit on the basketball court should come with time. But some of the Timberwolves’ lapses in concentration were simply inexcusable. This is not what they should put out on the court if they were to be serious in their pursuit of the Larry O’Brien trophy. And putting in a much better and more consistent level of effort should begin in game two when they take on the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves work out the kinks
While it’s tempting for fans to sound the alarm bells after this dispiriting of a loss, Timberwolves fans should rest easy knowing that time is on their side as they work out the kinks. Integrating Julius Randle within the offense will take a bit of time and effort; Randle, unlike Karl-Anthony Towns, has to commandeer the ball to be more effective, and in an offense led by Anthony Edwards, it will be a process for Randle to settle into his role.
For the meantime, however, Randle should give it his all in the other facets of the game, which he simply did not do on opening night. He was lethargic on many possessions, and this should never be the case — especially if he has lofty goals for himself in his first year in the Twin Cities.
The Timberwolves’ next few games should be a good litmus test for where they stand among contenders. Following their game against the Kings on Thursday, they will be facing the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets in two of their next three games.
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