From his personality alone, Anthony Edwards is a loudmouth at times. He enjoys competing and fighting off his competitive juices. Before this season though, his vigor and enchanting allure were adored by the fans in Minnesota. That has changed this season. Edwards’ outbursts with the referees and unhinged reactions cost him a suspension two games ago. He also leads the NBA in technical fouls this season.

The stats brought up by The Hoop Collective’s Tim McMahon are quite alarming. The only player to have been suspended for accumulating 16 technical fouls by March was DeMarcus Cousins. The former Kings center was a brute. He played a position which deemed physicality and at times the screws got loose. Moreover, by nature, Cousins got life into his game by inviting confrontations.

But with Edwards, it’s different. Coach Chris Finch even spoke about it. He doesn’t think Edwards is a player who displays aggression or turns hostile to the officials. Yet, the underlying message was the same. Whatever he is doing to get in trouble needs to stop because the Timberwolves need him during the last quarter of the season.

Likewise, Brian Windhorst called for a change. “Let me take it a step further. All this discussion about Ant being the future or current or whatever face of the NBA, it’s all cool. He’s got to do better as a leader for his own team,” he pointed out.

However, what if at times the emotions are getting lost in translation? Anthony Edwards does curse a lot while he plays. That’s his way of emitting his passion. And well, his way of addressing players or even officials is unusual. He likes to add a little spice each time. McMahon truly believes that’s one of the issues that is getting him in such frequent trouble.

“Although I will say, talking to Ant, like the man’s obviously got a colorful vocabulary that’s costing him a bunch of bucks… But that gets him a lot of the T’s and quite frankly, I think MFer is a term of endearment to him. Listen, the referees need to understand it’s a compliment,” the analyst noted on Hoop Collective.

A fine line that Anthony Edwards can’t cross

Just how much the Timberwolves need Anthony Edwards in every game can’t be emphasized enough. They have reached a pivotal point in their season. There are 20 games remaining for them to make an attempt at capturing a guaranteed postseason spot. And their reinforcements at such a time couldn’t be better.

Donte DiVincenzo has returned and is shooting the ball with fine precision. Furthermore, tonight against the Phoenix Suns, Julius Randle also marked his return after a long absence. The result? Anthony Edwards stayed away from any technical fouls, dropped 44 points, and claimed a win against the struggling Suns.

Prior to this, there was some sympathy towards Ant-Man. The Wolves were short-staffed and hence the results just didn’t flow their way. But there’s no excuse to get out of line now. Randle is an All-Star forward when fully healthy. Even with that tandem aside, Minnesota has a deep roster with a variety of dynamic talents.

If there was a time to go full throttle towards the regular season, it’s now. Anthony Edwards is capable of guiding a team and being the beacon during the most daunting moments. The question is is he capable of staying out of trouble? If they want to make the playoffs, there really is no other alternative for Edwards. He has to walk on eggshells around the referees.

Because even with all the talent, he remains the backbone of the team. His energy and relentless hustle are exactly what the Timberwolves need with such a demanding schedule ahead of them. It will be difficult, given how the season has gone for Edwards. But to be the main attraction of the team, such resistance is expected from the young star.

He felt the pain of missing the game against the Jazz which the Wolves lost. “Just be a little more civilized out there man. I understand that the refs are going to make mistakes just like humans. Everybody makes mistakes. So just being able to talk to him without cussing is something that I’m going to ty to do,” Edwards claimed after his stellar performance against the Suns.

If he falters, it could force the Wolves to go through the intense Play-In. They might still fancy their chances. But direct qualification prevents the additional toll they would have to face. Considering they are just one win behind the sixth seed, the time to capitalize on a healthy and motivated roster is now.

The Minnesota Timberwolves still need the most enticing and ambitious version of Anthony Edwards. It’s just about staying on the other side of the line.