Anthony Edwards is considered a strong opinionated character. The Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard proves this clearly after another defeat.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is known for not mincing his words. He was particularly outspoken about his team’s current struggles following Wednesday night’s 104-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
“We’re pretty damn soft as a team,” Edwards said. “Not to the other teams, but internally. We can’t talk to each other. It’s like we’re playing with a group of little children. Everyone, the whole team. We have to sort this out because we can’t continue on this path.”
Difficult start to the season and internal tensions
After the Timberwolves reached the 2024 Western Conference Finals, the start of the new season got off to a rocky start. After a solid 6-3 start, the team has lost four games in a row and seven of its last nine games. The squad, which was significantly changed by the Karl-Anthony Towns trade in the offseason, often doesn’t seem well-coordinated.
This was also evident when they squandered a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter against Sacramento, just one day after the 111-117 home overtime loss to Houston.
Edwards: “We are followers”
“We definitely looked like runners tonight,” Edwards said Wednesday. “When we were behind, nobody wanted to say anything. We took the lead and everyone cheered. But as soon as we were back, no one said anything. That is the definition of a follower. We as a team, myself included, were all runners tonight.”
Edwards added: “Everyone has their own goals at the moment. I think that’s one of the main reasons we lose.”
Edwards, who led the Timberwolves with 29 points and a hit rate of 9 out of 24 shots, didn’t just criticize his teammates. He was seen several times demonstratively communicating with Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert and others during time off.
Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo were the key additions in the October trade that sent Towns to New York three weeks before the start of the season. Both have had a rocky start to their time in the Twin Cities. Towns, on the other hand, has settled in well with the Knicks.
A team in crisis – the fans’ morale is rising
Edwards emphasized that it’s not just about the new players. “I’m talking about the whole team,” he said. “No matter how many of us there are, all 15 of us, we retreat into our own shells and distance ourselves from each other. It’s obvious. We can see it. I can see it, the team can see it, the coaches can see it.”
The fans also showed their displeasure several times on Wednesday evening. “The fans are booing the hell out of us,” said Edwards, whose team enters Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers with an 8-10 record.
“This is fucking crazy, man. We’re being booed in our own arena. This is so fucking disrespectful, it’s crazy.”
