All was well for Minnesota through one quarter Saturday at Target Center.
Anthony Edwards had 17 points in the opening stanza, and the Wolves led the Magic by three through 12 minutes.
Then the wheels fell off over the final two and a half frames, as Minnesota was blown out by 27 points.
Edwards scored 34 points, but no one else tallied more than 14 as the Timberwolves’ half-court offense was stifled all afternoon. Over the final three quarters, Minnesota went 20 for 60 from the floor as a team, including an abysmal 4 for 28 from distance. Donte DiVincenzo and Jaden McDaniels went a combined 0 for 15 from the floor.
Edwards’ early output didn’t lead to sustained team success.
That has been a theme for Minnesota this season. Not that the superstar’s shot making is a bad thing for the Timberwolves – it has saved them in a number of key spots. Edwards is one of the best scorers in the association. It’s what the Wolves need him to do.
But the timing of the equation matters.
And early often hasn’t been the answer. Usage percentage measures how frequently offensive possessions end in a shot, free throws or a turnover for a specific player when he’s on the floor.
Edwards has played 52 games this season, discounting one where he exited three minutes into the contest.
Thirty-eight times, he has logged a first-quarter usage of more than 23%. Minnesota is 20-18 in those games. The Wolves are 12-2 when Edwards’ usage comes in south of that mark. Included in that bucket of wins are two victories over Oklahoma City, one against San Antonio, one in Denver and a throttling of Toronto last week. Those are many of Minnesota’s best performances this season.
Because that’s the formula for Minnesota’s best basketball.
Many of Edwards’ teammates – including Julius Randle, McDaniels, DiVincenzo and Naz Reid – are rhythm players. The earlier that rhythm can be established via ball movement and touches, the better the Timberwolves’ offense finds its flow and functions with production from all cogs.
The offensive involvement leads to better defensive effort. Defensive stops lead to transition opportunities going the other way, which tend to generate easy opportunities for all. It all builds upon itself for Minnesota to reach its championship-caliber peak.
And Edwards has proven himself capable of injecting himself into games at later points repeatedly throughout his career. He can take a pass-heavy approach through two quarters and score 20 points in the ensuing frame, once the defensive plan against him has loosened by virtue of his teammate’s production.
He has proven to be the game’s best clutch-time scorer in the NBA this season, and he has rescued games for the Wolves on more than one occasion with his tough shot making.
Teammates have mentioned that as the perfect time for Superman to put on the cape and go into hero mode after three quarters of ball-sharing basketball. It’s a plan that has proven effective for Minnesota through three-quarters of the season.
And, as Saturday again proved, it is mighty difficult to reverse engineer.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves takes a shot against Brook Lopez #11 of the LA Clippers in the first half at Intuit Dome on February 26, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)