Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards made franchise history Thursday night, passing Kevin Garnett to become the Timberwolves’ all-time playoff scoring leader during Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With a third-quarter layup, Edwards notched his 17th and 18th points of the game, pushing his career playoff total to 1,051 points and surpassing Garnett’s 1,049. What makes this achievement even more impressive? Edwards did it in just 39 playoff games – eight fewer than Garnett needed.
The 23-year-old star didn’t stop there.
He climbed past six NBA legends on the league’s all-time playoff scoring list in the process, including Toni Kukoc, Jamal Crawford, and Eddie Jones.
Edwards finished the night with 32 points, shooting 12-of-26 from the field. His outside shooting struggled though, hitting just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc.
His career playoff point total now stands at 1,065, putting him just behind Trevor Ariza (1,074), Zelmo Beaty (1,071), and Larry Nance (1,070) on the NBA’s all-time list.
But the historic night came with disappointment. The Timberwolves lost control after Edwards’ record-breaking basket pulled them within three points at 53-50.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander quickly answered with a three-pointer, and things went downhill from there.
The Thunder dominated the third quarter 35-21, with Gilgeous-Alexander putting on a show. He finished with a game-high 38 points while adding eight assists, three rebounds, and three steals.
Oklahoma City’s supporting cast stepped up big time too. Jalen Williams recorded a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Minneapolis native Chet Holmgren added 22 points, including a thunderous dunk that earned him a technical for taunting.
For Minnesota, Jaden McDaniels contributed 22 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 17, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Thunder’s firepower.
The loss puts the Timberwolves in a tough spot, down 0-2 in the Western Conference finals. But there’s reason for hope – they’re heading back to Minnesota where they’ve been nearly unbeatable this postseason with a 4-1 record.
“Every minute in a series is a chance to find something,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after the game. “So we’re going to go back home. This is a good team at home. So we’re going to go home and fight for Game 3. Heads up, look at the tape and get ready for Game 3.”
Edwards also reached another milestone Thursday, recording his 30th career playoff game with at least 20 points – just one behind Garnett’s franchise record of 31.
But if the Wolves want any shot at coming back in this series, they’ll need their young superstar to find his touch from deep after Thursday’s cold shooting night.
