Anthony Edwards is Him: How the young star is keeping Minnesota afloat in the absence of Towns
If the headline photo is not a big enough description, just know that Anthony Edwards has been special for the Timberwolves in the absence of Karl Anthony Towns. With their win over the Warriors on Sunday, the Timberwolves are now 6-3 in Towns' absence and just a game out of first place in the West. In order to maximize their success this season they of course will need a healthy Towns but the play the Timberwolves have been getting from Edwards in his absence has been sensational.
Beyond just the high flying dunks and elite scoring it has been been his playmaking ability that has been they key for the Timberwolves. With Edwards as the premiere focus for opposing defenses he has taken advantage not by simply taking more shots but taking what the defense gives him and creating offense for others. Due to this, they have been able to maintain their high scoring offense despite missing one of their key pieces. The Wolves ability to keep the ball moving to keep others involved while still having Edwards as the centerpiece of their offense could make the Timberwolves even more dangerous when Towns returns.
Which team is better equipped to overcome their injury issues, Cavaliers or Knicks
The Cavaliers and Knicks are two talented playoff teams that hypothetically could give any teams in the East a run for their money though injuries have kept us from seeing them at their full potential. Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell has been in and out the lineup basically since the end of the All-Star. Meanwhile, the Knicks are missing offensive and defensive firepower in Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson. Both teams have relied on their top five defenses to help keep them afloat but it remains to seen what team will be at their best when at full strength.
Though the Cavaliers are currently higher seed by a half game it is the Knicks who are the team I feel is in best position to overcome their injury issues and be a dangerous playoff team. A major reason I believe in the Knicks is due to the play of Jalen Brunson who also dealt with injuries this season but has been sensational when on the court. Brunson has been the engine for the Knicks as they continue to find a way to win games despite missing multiple key players. Brunson has carried them offensively at times scoring 40+ in back to back games which has not been done by a Knick since Carmelo Anthony. They have also relied on his playmaking to allow others to flourish such as Josh Hart and Donte Divincenzo who dropped 31 points in a win over the Nets. With Brunson playing at such a high level the return of Randle and other important pieces could mean a deep playoff run for the Knicks.
Can the red hot Rockets make the play-in tournament?
Houston has been a completely different team over the past couple weeks and have the potential to shake up the play-in race as they close in on the tenth seeded Warriors. Not along ago the Rockets had a 27-35 record and appeared to be a young team that would be on the outside of the play-in race yet with a bright future ahead. Currently, the Rockets are on the second longest win streak in the NBA at eight games and are just a game behind the Warriors for the final play in spot. Impressively, they have managed to continue to win games despite missing arguably their best player in Alperen Sengun who was injured in their win over the Kings
The player who has stepped up for the Rockets during this win streak especially since the loss of Sengun has been their talented third year guard Jalen Green. Green has showed superstar potential at times this season and has been at his best during the Rockets win streak. Green averages 19.5 points per game this season but has stepped over the course of the win streak scoring 26 or more in 6 of their last eight wins. In a win on the road against the Wizards Green tied his career high dropping 42 points and hitting seven three pointers in the game. With Green leading the way the Rockets are one step closer to a shocking turnaround as they have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Game of the week- Nikola Jokic was dominant against a shorthanded Timberwolves team dropping 35 points and 16 rebounds on the road. Anthony Edwards had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists doing everything he could to keep Minnesota in the game.
Source: NBA YouTube Channel
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