With 24 seconds left and the Timberwolves trailing, Anthony Edwards created the moment Minnesota has come to expect. He shook Victor Wembanyama, stepped back for a fadeaway, and watched as the ball swished through the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
It was another reminder that Edwards has turned late-game pressure into routine business, and his growing reputation for clutch performances is starting to change the conversation about his status among the NBA’s elite.
Demon Time Is Becoming Minnesota’s Identity
The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has grown into Minnesota’s franchise cornerstone. This winter, his “demon time” reputation has taken on substance. The Timberwolves are 11–7 in one-possession games this season, a sharp jump from last year’s 20–25 mark, driven largely by Edwards’ late-game shot-making and improved decision-making.
In the game against San Antonio, Edwards had a rough start but turned things around when it counted. He is shooting 70.7% in clutch situations, including 57.1% from three in the final five minutes. His clutch effective field-goal percentage sits at an elite 75.6%, the best mark among primary stars, according to Inpredictable’s win-probability data. He ranks seventh league-wide in clutch scoring and first when measured by made versus missed shots.
“He can make [the step-back], but it’s not a super high-percentage shot,” Rudy Gobert said after the win. “Tonight, he was patient and poised.”
That balance between confidence and control is what stands out most. Edwards’ shot selection has improved dramatically from earlier seasons, when hero ball too often defined his late-game approach.
That surge has not gone unnoticed. On Gil’s Arena, former All-Star Gilbert Arenas argued Edwards deserves far more MVP consideration heading into 2026. Arenas praised Edwards as a complete two-way force and challenged him to bring that same urgency from tip-off, not just in the fourth quarter.
“He plays both sides of the floor,” Arenas said. “He’s literally a lockdown defender. He’s getting higher and higher in that chant.”
The stats back it up. By the age of 24, Edwards had already racked up three All-Star selections and two All-NBA nods. Minnesota is all in on his growth, locking him down with a five-year rookie max extension worth $244,623,120, which could even reach around $290 million with incentives.
More important than the contract is the direction it signals. Minnesota has built around Edwards because his trajectory points upward. Teammates credit his maturity. Coaches trust his reads. Late games now tilt in Minnesota’s favor because Edwards no longer forces moments; he owns them.
If this version holds, the conversation will shift naturally. MVP chatter follows winning, durability, and control. Edwards is delivering all three. And as “demon time” stretches earlier into games, the Timberwolves’ ceiling rises with him.
