Basketball player Anthony Edwards, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, speaks during a media availability as part of the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 18, 2023. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves will look to put their playoff Game 1 behind them Monday night when they face the Denver Nuggets in the continuation of their series.

It was always going to be a tough matchup, one that Minnesota is well aware of having played Denver in two of the last three years before this. However, two conference finals appearances will prove to be an added confidence booster. 

While the battle for silverware is still in its early stages, individual awards will roll in sooner than later. 

The final shortlist for the Clutch Player of the Year was released and the Timberwolves have a name representing them: Edwards, or the affectionately known “Ant-Man.” 

Edwards, 24, has been a staple for his team all season down the stretch of games. A potent three-level scorer and always dripping with confidence, the Minnesota star certainly isn’t afraid to demand the ball and make all the winning plays in clutch time. 

Anthony Edwards Shortlisted for Honors

Edwards has played just 61 games this season, his lowest mark ever, and the first season in his career he won’t eclipse 70 games. He did finish second in scoring, most of which came at crunch time and as such, Minnesota delivered some encouraging news on their superstar guard. 

“CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST,” the team’s official X account wrote in a post. 

Injuries kept Edwards below the NBA’s 65-game threshold for major award eligibility and honors. The 24-year-old Wolves star did what Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham did by filing an extraordinary circumstances challenge. 

The league didn’t heed to that, which means Edwards is ineligible for postseason awards such as MVP and All-NBA. Edwards has earned two All-NBA selections in his career.

The denial of his eligibility appeal has drawn a lot of criticism from fans and some analysts, who argued that his production and availability when healthy are huge considerations for honors.

Luckily, clutch awards do not require such a minimum game count and candidates are picked by NBA coaches.  Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the heavy favorite. 

Gilgeous-Alexander perhaps mounted a strong lead in the race after his heroics in a game against the Nuggets in March. In clutch time, the reigning MVP launched and converted two marvelous 3-pointers over tight contests — the second one a swish of a sidestep in the final seconds to give the Thunder the win.

Edwards’ clutch efficiency is also noteworthy. He led all players in clutch field goals in the regular season and has established himself as a premier closer this season.

Looking Ahead to Game 2

The Timberwolves were dealt a reality check in Game 1. Edwards played through lingering right knee soreness that caused him to miss time late in the regular season. He played 38 minutes and scored 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. 

It was a decent night, but not enough as the Nuggets swung open the series with the first blow. Minnesota made the series as close as possible but they faded down the stretch especially in the third quarter. Denver pulled away and won the series.

Edwards and co will look to get something from Game 2 before the series heads to Minnesota which will be a strong advantage against an in-form Nuggets team.