How Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards can dominate again in Game 5 after Spurs' Victor Wembanyama avoids suspension

Wembanyama playing in Game 5 will help San Antonio better protect the rim. Entering Monday, he ranks first in the postseason in blocks (4.4 per game). That'll make it easier for San Antonio to stop Edwards. His ability to take it to the hole proved key down the stretch in Game 4. 

"I mean everybody knows the rim is going to be a lot more open when [Wembanyama is] not on the floor," Edwards said of these shots in a postgame news conference (h/t ESPN's Anthony Slater). "Offensively, they play a lot more loose when he's not on the floor. But yeah, he's eight feet tall. So yeah, he's going to cover up the rim every time he's on the floor."

Correction: Wembanyama is listed at 7-foot-4, 235 pounds, but the point stands. Edwards (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) can't drive to the basket as much with the big man back in the lineup. To counter, he may have to rely more on his mid-range jumper and three-point shooting.

Edwards' pull-up jump shot has been sharp this postseason. Per Basketball Reference, he has shot an above-average 57.1 percent from 10-16 feet during the playoffs. The three-point shooting, however, is giving him more trouble. He has shot 32.1 percent from downtown after shooting 39.9 percent during the regular season. 

Edwards hyperextended his left knee in Minnesota's first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, sidelining him for two games. That may be affecting his ability to bend his hips and knees, crucial for generating more power on a jump shot. 

Perhaps he'll rediscover his long-range shooting stroke in Game 5. He'd better for Minnesota's sake. The Timberwolves need another big game from Edwards to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.