Anthony Edwards did not hide what fueled his fourth-quarter takeover in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 114-109 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Target Center. On Mother’s Day, he said the night became personal.
“Today is Mother’s Day and I just wanted to win for my mom,” Edwards said. “It was just that simple.”
The Timberwolves star scored 16 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter to help Minnesota even the second-round series at 2-2, then kept the conversation centered on family, responsibility and the people around him. “Sure. Yeah. I couldn’t lose this game for her for sure,” he said when asked whether his mother was on his mind all day.
Edwards also reflected on how his circle has shaped his growth since being drafted. “The older you get, the more mature you get,” he said. “But I think it’s not just about me, it’s the people around me.”
He praised those closest to him for holding him accountable. “These people really want to see me succeed and they don’t let me take a day off. They stay on me,” Edwards said. “So I appreciate everybody that’s in my circle.”
The All-Star guard did not have his cleanest scoring night, finishing 3-for-12 from the field, but he said his impact came from staying in the game mentally. “I just wanted to help impact the game any way I could,” Edwards said. “Of course, 3 for 12, I didn’t have the best offensive night, but you can’t control the ball going in the hoop. You can always control your mindset, your attitude, being there for my teammates the whole game.”
That approach showed up down the stretch, when Minnesota needed him most. Edwards hit a 27-footer to pull the Wolves within 94-91, then later knocked down a go-ahead wing 3-pointer with 5:12 left as the Spurs tried to survive without Victor Wembanyama after his second-quarter ejection.
“Down the stretch when my number was called, I just wanted to be there and help my team get the win,” Edwards said. “This time of the year, it’s all about getting the win.”
Edwards also admitted the game shifted in the middle stretches when San Antonio pushed the pace and Minnesota lost its edge. “We got to come out, the starting five got to come out with a lot more energy, looking like we’re ready to play,” he said. “I think I was a big part of that in that third quarter. I was gassed a little bit, so I came out super low on energy just walking up and down the floor.”
He laughed off the size of the final catch that sealed the win, comparing himself to a receiver. “I just wanted to make a play,” Edwards said. “When the ball was in the air, I just wanted to go up there and try to come down with it because I knew that pretty much that could have been a huge part of winning or losing the game.”
Asked whether he looked like he had played receiver before, Edwards answered with a grin: “With how I look? Be real. I went up there and got that like Roddy White.”
Edwards also gave credit to Naz Reid, who absorbed heavy contact and finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. “I tell Naz all the time, if he’s guarding at a high level, we’re a hard team to beat,” Edwards said. “He did all that. He had a big time rebound at the end of the game to kind of seal the game.”
The series now heads back to San Antonio, and Edwards said the Wolves are not getting ahead of themselves. “Now it’s just take it one game at a time,” he said. “Try to figure out how to get a win. That’s the only thing that’s on my mind right now.”
