Anthony Edwards Gets Honest About The OKC Thunder's Dominance In Game 5

As possibly the greatest defensive team in modern NBA history, the OKC Thunder stifled the Timberwolves. This was one of the toughest series for Anthony Edwards because he was the only high-level initiator for the team.

The defense kept pressuring him with blitzes and packed the paint with shot blockers. Edwards had no one to help him get off the ball, which led to the Thunder suffocating him with their defense.

Edwards Acknowledges The Thunder's Elite Defense

With elite defenders like Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace all up on his grill, it is easy to see why Edwards struggled in this series. He could not get past them because other players were not putting pressure on the Thunder enough to warrant letting Edwards go. 

That could lead to some important roster moves in the offseason, but Edwards also must improve. As a superstar, he should know that elite defensive units will do their best to stop him, so he must step up by being stronger.

His acknowledgment of the Thunder's superb defense is a good sign that he will do his best to learn from this, as he has done every year in his NBA career.

"They came ready to play and we didn't. When you lose a game like this, there's not too much to break down. They just did what they were supposed to do and won the game," Edwards said after Game 5. "They dominated the game from the tip. Can't do anything but to tip my hat to those guys. They came ready, man. Good job by them."

The Future Is Still Bright For Minnesota

This is a tough loss to endure, but the Timberwolves are still a talented team. With Edwards at the forefront, they have a young superstar who will keep learning and developing.

The supporting cast will probably undergo some changes, but the focal point of the team is still there. With him and coach Chris Finch, the Timberwolves should be competitive for a long time. 

Team president Tim Connelly has some work to do with his roster construction because they must catch up to the Thunder. It is challenging to compete against a generational squad, but that is the task, and the Timberwolves will want to reach the Western Conference Finals again and have a different result.