Anthony Edwards Feels He Let Down Mike Conley After Losing To The OKC Thunder

Ever since the Timberwolves lost in the 2024 Western Conference Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, Anthony Edwards always vowed they would make it back. A year later, they did just that, but they still lost in five games.

It is a disappointing result for the Timberwolves, especially since Edwards had great ambitions of making it further than the previous year. That did not work out for him, especially when he realized it was another heartbreaker for veteran teammate Mike Conley Jr.

Edwards Wanted To Help Conley Reach The Finals

Since Conley has been in the league since 2007, he is a beloved veteran in the Timberwolves locker room. Conley is a well-respected guard who has earned that reputation. 

As the team's best player and leader, Edwards wanted to reach the Finals for the team and Conley specifically. Unfortunately, they ran into the giants of OKC, the team with the greatest defensive unit of the modern NBA era.

This was a crushing loss for the Timberwolves because they came so far after only having a 32-29 record on March 1, 2025. Despite that silver lining, Edwards is still crushed by the defeat.

"I'm hurt more so for myself for Mike. I came up short for Mike. We tried last year, we couldn't get it. We tried again this year, and we'll try again next year. Hurting is a terrible word, I'm good," Edwards said after Game 5.

The Timberwolves Will Be Ready To Compete Again

After a rollercoaster 2024-25 season, the Timberwolves want to keep competing at the highest level. They are one of the top two Western Conference teams this season after a tough regular season campaign.

They are close to the pinnacle of their conference, but they have the Thunder to deal with. This should be a sign for the franchise to do some work in the offseason to bolster the roster.

Conley is a decent point guard, but he is getting older by the day. He can still be with the team, but a ready-made lead guard could be a fantastic addition to this team, especially if they are not confident in Rob Dillingham's growth yet.

In the meantime, the Timberwolves will keep this loss in mind to motivate them for the 2025-26 season. Getting off to a strong start will be crucial for the Timberwolves' success, especially with a full offseason with their core group of players rather than just a few days' notice before the 2024-25 season due to the Julius Randle trade.