It was less than two weeks ago. After an infuriating loss to the Boston Celtics, Anthony Edwards made a shocking remark. The usually unbreakable Wolves keystone said, “I’m not trying or not as good as I am because I am, but I can’t show it because I’m getting double-teamed”. Since then, that notion has stuck with him. Naturally, before every game, Ant-Man feels he will be swarmed by defenders to prevent him from unleashing.

It was exactly what he thought tonight while facing the Washington Wizards. It left him timid for three quarters, the result of which was the Timberwolves slightly trailing. That was when he was left surprised. “They wasn’t really double teaming. I don’t think it was as obvious as in all the other games so I was kind of passing the first three quarters. Then I realized like oh they not sending two right now,” the two-time All-Star noted in his press conference.

He acknowledged some other things in his presser. Notably, Edwards apologized for his conduct during the last game against the Grizzlies where he was fined $50,000 for an obscene gesture. Understanding his status as a role model, the 23-year-old blamed his youth for the same, but vowed to never repeat those actions again.

But now getting back to the game.

With the Wolves unable to shut off the Wizards convincingly, Anthony Edwards’ realization was key. That was his green light to be “aggressive”. And so in the final quarter where he generally thrives, Ant Man unloaded everything. He scored 20 points in the final period, turning a tight contest into a 14-point win for the Timberwolves.

Another thing that helped him is the support he received from the Washington crowd. “I felt like I was in Minnesota. I mean it was crazy. My first 2 points was a dunk and it felt like I was at the crib,” he said about the fans.

Double or not, Anthony Edwards is balling

After a challenging December only averaging 20 points per game, Edwards did relay his frustrations. To some, it may have seemed to be a weak move. Did that stop teams from double-teaming him? No it didn’t. However, from that game against the Boston Celtics something changed.

Edwards decided to go nuclear.

Since his admission, Ant Man has played six games. And the two-time All-Star has been unconscious. Aside from a 53-point bomb right after the Celtics’ loss, Anthony Edwards has dropped at least 30 points in the next three of the five games. He is averaging 28.8 points in January, a slightly higher tick than his average for the season.

What it looks like is that Edwards has reached a point where he has accepted the reality. But rather than not having “fun”, the explosive guard is embracing the challenge. The offense is coming to him easy. And it’s no surprise that the Wolves have won four of the six games since their three-point loss against the Shamrocks.

Following another amazing night, it doesn’t seem like Edwards is going to slow down anytime soon. So double-team or not, Ant Man is out for the hunt.