Now that the Minnesota Timberwolves are back in the Western Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards and his team have fulfilled their task of returning to that big stage. This has been their goal even when they were struggling in the first half of the 2024-25 season.
It is time for them to reset and prepare for the next series against the Oklahoma City Thunder or their sworn rivals, the Denver Nuggets. Either way, it will be a tough series, but they should be pleased with what they have achieved by beating the Golden State Warriors in the second round.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) with guard Mike Conley (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center.
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Timberwolves retained most of the team from the 2024 postseason run. Karl-Anthony Towns is not with the team anymore due to the trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. In fact, that move has worked out well for both teams because the Timberwolves are back in the Western Conference Finals, while the New York Knicks are on the cusp in the East.
As Anthony Edwards continues to be the star for the Timberwolves, he has embraced the leadership role. That has paid off because he has been superb for Minnesota in their quest to become Western Conference champions and possibly more.
Edwards Already Had His Sights Set On The Conference Finals A Year Before
Since the Timberwolves had an impressive run to the Western Conference Finals in 2024, it was unfortunate that it ended on a whimper in five games against the Dallas Mavericks.
A year later, the Timberwolves are back in the penultimate series before the NBA Finals. No matter which team advances on the other side of the bracket, the Timberwolves have their work cut out. However, this has been coming for a year, as Edwards already aimed for this as soon as they lost to Dallas in 2024.
"He believes in everything he says, no matter what it is. At that moment last year, I believed him. I believed that we’d have another opportunity together, that this wasn’t the end of the road," Conley said after Game 5 against the Warriors. "He'd been working all summer for that. He worked all season for that. He's led us to this point, him, Julius, Donte. All the people who have followed along and those who have been added piece by piece. It all starts with him and his belief in himself and his teammates."
Edwards Is A Phenomenal Teammate For All The Timberwolves Players
Some people might expect a big personality like Edwards to be a bad teammate. That is not the case with Edwards because he always steps up for his teammates. He is also the first player to praise them when they make the big play.
Edwards is a big fan of his teammates, as he always props them up for big-time performances. Every time Jaden McDaniels performs well, you can expect Edwards to serve as the biggest hype man on the Timberwolves roster.
That trust and support have translated well into results for the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves have a good team culture, which has paid off with another run to the Conference Finals.