Although the Timberwolves blew out OKC by 42 points on Saturday, the pressure was still on the Minnesota team heading into tonight’s game. Another loss would put them in a 3-1 deficit, a hole only thirteen teams in NBA playoffs history have dug themselves out of. So, the Wolves needed their superstars, Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, to bring their A game and level the series before heading back to OKC. Unfortunately, they were unable to answer the call! And it seems Edwards does not feel the pressure to be the star of the show and have a high-scoring game every night.

“No, I’m putting no burden on myself. Just try to win. That’s the only burden I put on myself. Just try to win. We gave ourselves a chance tonight. We just didn’t come out from the start with the same aggression that we did in Game 3,” he stated post-game. And Anthony’s game tonight was proof of the same. In what was a highly disappointing performance, Ant-Man was completely shut down by Thunder’s defense, finishing with just 16 points on 5 of 13 shooting—his lowest-scoring game of this series.

Randle didn’t fare any better, scoring merely 5 points on 1 of 7 shooting. More importantly, the Wolves ended up losing their third game, putting their season in serious jeopardy. Despite the duo not performing up to their usual high standard, Ant surprisingly had a unique outlook during his postgame interview.

“I don’t look at it like I struggled or he struggled. They had a good game plan making us get off the ball. Especially for me man, it was super in the gaps. I made the right play all night. So, I don’t really look at it like I struggled. I didn’t get enough shots to say I struggled. So, that might be how you guys look at it, but yeah, I didn’t struggle at all. I made the right play.”

Yes, Edwards claims that he made the right plays all night, and his low scoring production was more because of OKC’s defensive strategy than his offensive struggles. Moreover, he focused on the positive aspect – even with the two superstars combining for merely 21 points, the Wolves lost by just two points. That means their supporting cast did a solid job of keeping the game competitive, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo combining for 44 points off the bench.

But the problem is – Wolves lost. And Edwards knows exactly why!

Anthony Edwards praises OKC’s defense as he reveals key reason behind Timberwolves’ Game 4 loss

Although Ant-Man did not acknowledge that he struggled, he confessed that Thunder’s defensive strategy put him in a tough spot all night. “Just can’t play with the ball around them. Like everybody on their team is handsy. Yeah, just can’t play with it… Definitely not the I guess the points I wanted to get but I mean they didn’t really let me get too many shots off. They did a good job of that. Every time I had the ball, they showed me a major crowd.”

Following Ant’s back-to-back 30+ point games, OKC understood that he was their biggest scoring threat. So, they clogged his driving lanes every chance they got and forced him to pass the ball. It led to the Wolves committing 21 turnovers, which Edwards believes was a major reason behind their loss: “We gave up 19 offensive rebounds and then 21 turnovers. So, they got 40 more possessions than us and we lost by 2. I’m not saying that’s good, I’m not saying that’s bad.”

However, it’s also a positive sign for Edwards because he knows that his team has a chance of winning if they can avoid these mistakes in the next game. “We can take that and run with it. So, we’ll be alright,” he added. Perhaps what’s most intriguing in this moment of adversity is how Edwards continues to show signs of leadership that transcend the box score. Heat legend Dwyane Wade recently gave Ant his stamp of approval, praising not just the skills but the mentality that sets him apart. On a recent episode of Time Out, Wade raved about Edwards’ heart and selfless leadership. “I watch the young man come out, like, ‘Nah, we gonna go to hell with this one. I’m about to let this ball burn,’” Wade said.

Wade’s admiration mirrors the respect Edwards commands within his own locker room. Julius Randle, who has struggled with consistency throughout the series, revealed that Ant helped pull him out of a mental slump after the Wolves went down 0-2. “As great of a player Ant is, what he does, and how special he is on a night-to-night basis, he’s like the definition of selfless,” Randle shared. “He told me to let it go and focus on what’s ahead.”

This behind-the-scenes leadership, especially at just 23 years old, is why many—Wade included—believe Edwards is emerging as the American face of the NBA. Jayson Tatum is in that conversation, Cooper Flagg may be next, but Wade believes Ant is already carrying that torch. But right now, the Wolves have a win-or-go-home situation.

So, they need to come out with the same sense of urgency and desperation they did in Game 3, otherwise it will be yet another disappointing West Finals exit for them. Do you believe Anthony Edwards and Co. can overcome the odds and come back from this 3-1 deficit?