Julius Randle gets real on Anthony Edwards' Timberwolves leadership after win vs. Nuggets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Anthony Edwards is not the stereotypical leader for a team in the NBA Playoffs. He is quite different in leading the Minnesota Timberwolves and it showed during their 119-114 Game 2 win over the Denver Nuggets. To many this was just the antics of a star player, but Julius Randle posits that this exact gritty leadership is what Coach Chris Finch and his teammates need to vanquish Nikola Jokic.
Anthony Edwards riles the Timberwolves and their faithful up when needed the most. He makes the most physical plays to get people on their feet and raise tensions in the NBA Playoffs. This was not new to Julius Randle and his teammates.
In fact, three minutes into the game Nikola Jokic collided with Edwards which made the Timberwolves star need injections and fluid drains. He returned to the court and this inspired the rest of the Timberwolves, via Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
"It definitely uplifts me. I feel like I can’t let him down. He’s out there battling, and there’s no excuse why I can’t give my best and make the extra-effort plays and just go out there and compete at the highest level. It definitely energizes me, and it makes me want to give my best effort," Randle said about Edwards.
Many of the Timberwolves players all have traditional leadership in Coach Chris Finch. Their head coach scolds them after mistakes, tells them to get back on defense, and corrects their schematics against the Nuggets. Edwards, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air. He will bump into Jokic, risk inflammation in the NBA Playoffs, and not dare to be afraid of any challenge at all. This is what Randle and the Timberwolves needed in a leader, someone who sets a gritty example on the court.
"You just got to read the game. Knowing in the moments when to be positive and when to challenge people. It’s knowing when to uplift your teammates and when to get on them," Edwards said about his leadership style.
Edwards ended up leading the Timberwolves in scoring with his 30 points on a 40% clip from the field while also grabbing 10 rebounds, notching two blocks, and a steal. If he continues this, the Timberwolves will be in very good and capable hands for the foreseeable future.