Anthony Edwards throws down monster slam as Timberwolves win،
SALT LAKE CITY – A thunderous dunk provided a perfect snapshot of Anthony Edwards' second-half dominance Monday night.
Edwards launched a monster slam against the Utah Jazz's John Collins in the third quarter, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 114-104 victory but leaving both players hit after the play.
“I thought I was going to miss it because I wasn't near the rim, but somehow God wanted it for me,” said Edwards, who scored 25 of his goals. 32 points after halftime.
The piece immediately went viral on social media. Timberwolves veteran point guard Mike Conley said it might have been the best dunk he's ever witnessed in person.
“He almost looks like a cat,” Conley said. “He keeps moving forward and lands on his feet. It's things like that that make him who he is and why he can maneuver through the game the way he does.”
Edwards said he grew up idolizing players such as Vince Carter, known for their ability to dunk, and that ducking like they did had always been a goal of his.
His slam on Monday certainly puts him in that category.
“It gives me chills, man, because I always dreamed of throwing myself at someone like that,” Edwards said.
Collins and Edwards were both injured during the game.
Edwards dislocated his left ring finger after his hand collided with Collins' cheekbone. He ran to the locker room during a subsequent timeout, put the finger back in, taped it in and returned to the action.
Collins was ruled out for the entire fourth quarter while he was evaluated for a possible concussion. It was later confirmed to be a head contusion.
Edwards' dunk gave a short-handed Minnesota team an emotional boost during a critical period. The Timberwolves lost Naz Reid to a head injury in the first half, and they were already playing without injured starters Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“It gives me chills, man, because I've always dreamed of throwing myself at someone like that.”
Anthony Edwards
“It energizes everyone,” Edwards said. “It makes everyone want to defend, to make saves. It makes the game more exciting.”
Edwards also totaled 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 38 minutes. His relentless energy on both ends of the court had the Jazz on the trail throughout the second half.
“It’s who he is,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “He's an All-Star. He's a hell of a player.”
Edwards has had three straight 30-point games. He averaged 31.5 points in back-to-back wins over Utah on 58% shooting from the field.
“He’s always been a guy that can really turn a game around,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “He knows when to raise. He knows when to make the big play. Can sometimes make it out of nothing. But now he's a lot more refined in what he does. He's a little calmer, he doesn't rush as much.”
