The first-round series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns has paved the way for the superstardom of Anthony Edwards. Even while facing off against one of the greats of the game, the 22-year-old boldly talked some serious smack, while providing a generation beatdown to the Phoenix Suns. However, while most couldn’t get enough of his antics, Kevin Garnett was simply left befuddled as he expressed his thoughts publicly.
The scenario circled the last possession of Game 4 as Devin Booker drove to the basket to score a layup. Ant chased him down to eventually block his attempt, resulting in a great play. This move humiliated the Suns’ star while capturing the on-court dominance of Edwards. Soon after, the latter capitalized on this, declaring, “Get that sh*t out of here, n****. Yeah!”.
The scoreline of 122-116 in favor of the Timberwolves provided further opportunity for Ant to express his inner feelings. Expectedly, the Georgia-born did precisely that while walking out through the tunnel. “That’s how you f***ing play, boy. Get their a** out of here. Talking all that s**t, man,” he mentioned after the game. An Instagram post from ball44tv later displayed the entire series of exchanges, shedding light on the intensity of the series.
This trash-talking from Edwards caught the eyes of the NBA with KG being the latest inclusion on the list. The 2008 champion consequently expressed his perplexity about the dynamics while sharing the post from his Instagram story. He wrote, “No friends no respect earned in this series,” to highlight his thoughts on Edwards’ actions.
KG’s words alluded to the competitive spirits shown by the franchises throughout the series. Alongside showcasing mesmerizing gameplay, the playoff round was filled with drama and back-and-forth trash-talking between the players. The NBA peers forwent their off-court friendships to ensure a semi-final spot. And when it mattered most, the Timberwolves maintained an edge in each of the games, securing a 4-0 sweep to kickstart their postseason.
However, despite highlighting the intensity of the entire series, Garnett was seemingly wrong about one aspect. Amidst the competition, the two sides displayed signs of mutual respect with their respective talismans, Edwards and Kevin Durant, contributing majorly in this regard.
How Anthony Edwards showcased sportsmanship amidst the competition
Soon after the conclusion of Game 4, KD went to Ant to seemingly congratulate him on the series win. The duo hugged each other on the court while Durant took the time to express his thoughts to Edwards. The gesture meant the world to the latter, given that the 2x champion was his idol growing up.
Durant’s admiration for Ant did not just end there. During the post-game conference, KD publicly praised Edwards, stating, “So impressed with Ant. My favorite player to watch. Just grown so much since he came into the league…Love everything about Ant. Everything” [per Bleacher Report].
Thus, their appreciation for each other remained intact regardless of the scoreline. While KD’s words openly backed the surge of Ant, the latter’s display of respect added volume to the legacy of the former. This gave rise to a heartwarming moment in the NBA, capturing what the core values of the league truly are.
