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Anthony Edwards Goes Full Kobe Bryant in Minnesota Timberwolves’ Game 1 Win vs. Denver Nuggets

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics
By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated 5/5/24

For some time now, a lot of people have been saying Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards is going down the path Kobe Bryant has laid out for younger superstars like him. Turns out, the All-Star shooting guard put on a performance worthy of the late legend in his team’s Game 1 win against the Denver Nuggets.

In the first game of their second round series, the Timberwolves went home with the 106-99 win over the Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets . Edwards popped off when he dropped 43 points on 58 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc while making seven rebounds and three assists. Karl-Anthony Towns notched 20 points, while Mike Conley added a double-double of 14 points and 10 assists.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, had Jokic finish the game with 32 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, and three steals in almost 41 minutes. Michael Porter Jr. tallied 20 points on 57 percent shooting from deep, while Jamal Murray contributed 17 points and four assists.

Minnesota’s Game 1 win has seemingly set the tone for Edwards and company. It also diminished the idea that Denver has been unbeatable at this point, especially after their thorough dismantling of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets, meanwhile, must get one win on the road to help them find a way to win the series.

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards Puts On A Kobe Bryant-Like Performance in Game 1 Against Denver Nuggets

Like Bryant before him, Edwards boasted the same swagger and intensity during the Timberwolves’ Game 1 against Denver. At the same time, the All-Star guard joined the late Los Angeles Lakers legend in a record only they have made. In a post shared by NBA History on X:

“Anthony Edwards joins Kobe Bryant as the only players 22 years old or younger to score 40 points in back-to-back playoff games!” NBA History tweeted.

Throughout the five games he has played in this year’s playoffs, Edwards has averaged 33.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. In comparison, Bryant’s 2006-07 playoff run saw the Lakers star tally 32.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.0 steals in five games that year.

Edwards’ recent performance has shown he has the chance to become one of the league’s greats. If he keeps this up against the Nuggets, there’s a pretty good chance the Timberwolves All-Star can make history down the line.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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