3 Ways Anthony Edwards Has Improved Since Finals Loss in 2024

There was a time in the 2024-25 season when many questioned if Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves had regressed. They looked lost and could not muster up wins against mid-tier teams. Some believed all of their problems were related to the new starting lineup and their intention to replicate the Boston Celtics’ playing style.

There was enough proof for that logic, as Anthony Edwards was shooting far more threes than he had ever done. Even his teammates had suddenly become long-range snipers. That led some analysts to believe that they had forgotten what made them one of the best teams in the West last season.

Charles Barkley was the harshest critic, who believed that Edwards had taken a step backward in his development. He was not even playing the way he did at the Paris Olympics. But that criticism did not seem to deter the 23-year-old and he continued on the path he was on.

Since the turn of March this year, something changed. The Wolves started winning games regularly and climbed back into the playoff spots. Then in the first round, Edwards led his teammates to throw the Los Angeles Lakers out.

In the second round, he did the same, dominating games and making it difficult for the Golden State Warriors to mount a challenge. After getting rid of both the remaining NBA Avengers, analysts are trying to figure out how he came to do that. Here are three ways the Atlanta native has improved since losing the West Finals last season.

Three-point shooting

One of the main critiques of his game in the regular season was his overdependence on the three-point shot. He ended up shooting the most threes of any player in the league. Anthony Edwards revealed that he was inspired by Stephen Curry to work on his three-point shot.

The result has seen him take more threes from distance than continue to drive inside. One might believe it was just a way of copying the Boston Celtics. But it seems the Timberwolves figured out a way to keep scoring without exhausting Ant Man.

By shooting more threes, he is not expending as much energy as he would driving into the paint. He will also have a shorter jog to his defensive position, thereby again aiding in-game rest. Had he not worked on his three-point shot, this idea would have been moot.

But because he did so, now he is fresher for late-game situations. In those moments, usually, the opponents are also struggling with fatigue. His stored energy now comes in handy to put the game away from their reach, as he displayed on quite a few occasions in these playoffs.

Anthony Edwards’ passive-aggressive approach to defense

Last season, one of Anthony Edwards’ best highlights was when he jumped above the rim to block a layup. That highlight sent fans into a frenzy and even drew praise from great players, both past and present.

But trying to block shots like that requires a lot of energy. Even if he is aggressively running after steals, that not only expends energy, but also makes him and his team vulnerable. The 23-year-old seems to have learnt from his veterans.

He still aggressively defends his opponent, but he does not expend that extra effort to pounce on 50-50 situations. Anything detrimental to team defense, he has religiously avoided this season. Even his four-time DPOY teammate Rudy Gobert has done the same.

But Edwards’ passive-aggressive approach is crucial as the Minnesota Timberwolves need his energy to score at any point in the game. This game management is generally not expected from 23 year olds, but he understood where it went wrong last season, and has fixed it.

Avoiding highlight reel-worthy plays all season

The 2023-24 season had the most Anthony Edwards highlights a basketball fan would want to see. This season, there have been far and few. The reason is again tied to his endurance. Driving and dunking on almost every open lane possession requires him to use up a lot of energy.

That has hindered him late in the playoffs. This season, the number of such acrobatic highlights has dropped. He is thinking a lot more than before, which has led to him choosing how to attack a game. That has allowed him to dominate the playoffs this late in the season.

He has incorporated a team-first approach this season. Edwards knows he has enough fame and swagger to make up for any lack of highlights. The ultimate goal is to win a championship. He has sacrificed all of that to help the team win its first-ever title.

Once he does that, he knows the floodgates will open as the league will unofficially crown him as their next face. Moreover, the timing is just right, as the veterans he just dispatched are on their last legs. His informed and mature approach will help him topple everyone to become the Face of the League.

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