Edwards daps – Anthony Edwards says he walked over to the Spurs bench with eight minutes left simply to show respect, even as Minnesota’s season ended again with a lopsided playoff loss.
When the clock hit eight minutes left in the fourth and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season was already slipping away, Anthony Edwards didn’t linger on the score. Instead, he walked over to the San Antonio Spurs bench and, in his own relaxed way, greeted every Spurs player and coach.
Minnesota’s postseason run ended on Friday night with another blowout defeat. and Edwards’ mid-game gesture quickly became the headline—spark for both criticism and fascination.. Some fans and analysts read it as an early sign of surrender. but Edwards didn’t dress it up when he sat down with reporters after the loss.
“At that point, you know you ain’t going back in, so you’re just trying to get them the respect that they deserve,” Edwards said.
The gesture landed in the middle of a game the Spurs controlled from the opening tip.. San Antonio built a massive 26-point lead and never let the Timberwolves get close to changing the tone.. According to the box score. Edwards finished with 24 points. six rebounds and two assists. but his night from the field was rough—he went 9-of-26.
Minnesota’s supporting cast didn’t provide the spark needed to flip the script, and Edwards didn’t attempt to soften what happened. Asked to frame the series and the elimination, he was direct, admitting simply that “Spurs were better” throughout.
For the third straight year. Minnesota’s postseason ended in an embarrassing blowout defeat. and Edwards’ shooting struggles and the team’s inability to generate consistent offense left little room for debate.. Still. the moment he chose to make contact across the bench—before the final buzzer—added another layer to how he carries himself when things go wrong.
Now the Timberwolves head into another long offseason, hunting for answers after yet another summer arriving sooner than they wanted.. With tough questions waiting for Edwards and the organization. the debate over what that salute meant may follow them—but the bigger reality is already set in: Minnesota is once again looking to break a stubborn playoff curse.
Anthony Edwards Minnesota Timberwolves San Antonio Spurs NBA playoffs postgame comments mid-game gesture