Chris Finch Admits Anthony Edwards Must Improve Against Physical Defenders

Playing against the Thunder is one of the most challenging tasks in the modern NBA. They have some of the best and most physical defenders, which usually leads to star players struggling.

Edwards is the latest player to struggle against OKC. He scored 23 points per game, but it felt lower than his usual stats because the Thunder kept him quiet throughout the Western Conference Finals series.

Finch Knows Edwards Has Room To Grow

Since Finch got a close look at how the Thunder played against Edwards, he knows the superstar needs to work on his game. Ant is a fantastic player, but there are gaps in his game.

That is fine because Edwards is only 23, which means he has plenty of room to grow. This defeat to OKC serves as a huge lesson for Edwards to learn because he went against the greatest defense in modern NBA history.

Finch sees it as a launchpad for his superstar to learn how to play against defensive coverages that are focused on stopping him. It is a tough challenge, but that can only motivate him to move forward.

"What did Ant learn? Obviously, he's got to learn against that physicality, and that type of holding all the time. I think they made it really hard for him," Finch said after Game 5. "For much of the series, I think he did make the right play, and we preach that to him all the time. We need him to be aggressive for sure, he's got to find easier buckets, I gotta help him do that."

Minnesota Should Be Back At The Top Level

It is challenging to get past the Thunder dominating for the foreseeable future, but the Timberwolves should be good for the future as well. They have Edwards as their superstar player, with Jaden McDaniels as his running mate.

This team is filled with talented players, and they should be ready to keep pushing to the top level again. The Timberwolves must do their best to construct their roster better because they must compete against other top West teams.

Minnesota had a significant wobble during the 2024-25 season, but they managed to pull it back in the second half of the season to reach the Western Conference Finals.

By building on this momentum with Edwards and Finch, the team should be good. However, they should always be willing to work harder than usual to reach the next level of their progression.