The Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves staring straight into the fire again. And it’s looking like déjà vu for Anthony Edwards.
With the Western Conference Finals slipping away after a crushing 128-126 loss in Game 4, NBA veteran Udonis Haslem has seen enough. On NBA Today, the Miami Heat lifer dropped a blunt bit of advice. He straight up asked Edwards to take a page from another NBA star’s book. And honestly? He might be right here.
Haslem Sends Message to Anthony Edwards: Attack Early, Play Hungry
The Timberwolves’ 42-point demolition job in Game 3 looked like a turning point. But the Oklahoma City Thunder came back with purpose, and none more so than MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder guard was surgical in Game 4: dropping 40 points, grabbing 9 boards, dishing out 10 assists, and basically carrying Oklahoma City to the brink of its first Finals appearance in over a decade.
Meanwhile, Edwards just didn’t show up in the way Minnesota needed. His 16 points, paired with just 4 rebounds and 6 assists, simply weren’t enough to keep pace. Haslem, who’s been around more playoff wars than most of the current league combined, pointed to the problem. “All gas, no brakes, [Ant] has to take a page out of SGA’s book,” he said. Attack in transition and don’t wait for the defense to get set was his mantra for Edwards.
“All gas, no breaks. [Ant] has to take a page out of SGA’s book.”@ThisIsUD on what to expect from Anthony Edwards during Game 5 🙌🏀 pic.twitter.com/DkxHQPmdqc
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 27, 2025
That’s what Gilgeous-Alexander did. Non-stop pressure, smart pacing, patient aggression. Minnesota, on the other hand, looked like it lost focus on the task at hand.
Time Is Running Out for The Timberwolves
Edwards has often been dubbed the next face of the league, and for good reason. He outdueled LeBron James and knocked off Stephen Curry in the same postseason run. But now, when it matters most, the Wolves star is one game away from watching another conference title slip through his fingers.
He’s still only 23, sure. And yes, a few bumps off the court have made their way into the spotlight. But youth can’t be the shield forever. The talent is real. The moments are there. But as Haslem hinted, it’s about more than numbers, it’s the mindset.
If Minnesota wants to survive, it can’t wait for Edwards to ease his way into Game 5. It needs a Gilgeous-Alexander-type response. A statement game. The kind of effort that forces Oklahoma City to sweat, to panic, to rethink.
The clock’s ticking. The Thunder is rolling. And if Edwards doesn’t rip a page from Gilgeous-Alexander’s book real fast, this series might be headed to the shelves, with Minnesota as just another “what if” chapter.
