The Minnesota Timberwolves faced a critical Game 4 in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Target Center. Despite a roaring home crowd and the urgency of the moment, the Timberwolves narrowly lost 128-126 and fell behind 3-1 in the series.
A great deal of pressure rested on the shoulders of Anthony Edwards going into the game. However, his performance failed to meet the expectations set by his earlier playoff showings. While many were quick to criticize the young star, Edwards was equally quick to reject the criticism.
Following the loss, Edwards addressed the media and made it clear he did not agree with the notion that he had underperformed in Game 4. He explained that Oklahoma City executed a solid defensive strategy that forced him to give up the ball and find open teammates.
“They had a good game plan making us get off the ball. 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,” Edwards said.
Ant-Man: "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. I didn't struggle at all" pic.twitter.com/2lrweh2mFu
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 27, 2025
Edwards logged 41 minutes on the floor on Monday. He ended the game with 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists. However, his shooting was noticeably off as he went just 5-of-13 from the field and a disappointing 1-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Julius Randle was also expected to provide a crucial scoring punch. But he went scoreless in the second half and finished with only five points for the game.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
Skip Bayless Targets Anthony Edwards In Harsh Critique
The underwhelming performances by Edwards and Randle did not go unnoticed, and the backlash was immediate across sports media and social platforms. One of the most vocal critics was sports analyst Skip Bayless. Bayless singled out Edwards for his failure to step up during key moments.
“Once again, Ant Man was Can’t Man when it mattered most. Tell me I’m wrong,” Bayless wrote in a post on X.
With the win in Game 4, the Oklahoma City Thunder now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. They will return home for Game 5 on Wednesday, with an opportunity to close out the series and advance to the NBA Finals.
