Anthony Edwards' Fourth-Quarter Burst Turns Game 2 Into a Trust Call

By Felix Navarro May 5, 2026

Edwards' fourth-quarter burst won Minnesota real possessions, but Wolves fans should judge the return by Game 2 workload, shift length, and who gets the ball late.

Fan question

What should Wolves fans watch next after Anthony Edwards returned from the knee injury: his scoring line, his minutes, or whether Minnesota trusts him like a normal closer?

Watch the minute pattern and closing usage first. Edwards saying he felt great matters, but a 25-minute bench role after a serious knee scare means the real Game 2 signal is whether Minnesota expands his shifts, lets him close high-leverage possessions, and still sees the same burst late.

Anthony Edwards came off Minnesota's bench, played 25 minutes, and still put 11 fourth-quarter points into a 104-102 Game 1 win over San Antonio.

That is the part Wolves fans can enjoy. It is not the part that settles the series question.

The useful thing to watch in Game 2 is not whether Edwards can make a jumper. He already showed enough burst and touch to scare the Spurs. The bigger question is whether Minnesota treats him like the normal first option again, or like a star being used in controlled bursts after returning far earlier than expected from a left knee injury.

Picture the possession that decides the difference. Edwards catches above the break. Victor Wembanyama is waiting near the rim. San Antonio has a body near the nail. If Edwards can turn the corner anyway, the floor changes before Julius Randle or Mike Conley has to create against a settled defense. The first drive matters because it forces the first rotation. The pass after that becomes cleaner. The clock feels less heavy.

That is what a normal Edwards role gives Minnesota. Not just points. Pressure.

If he is still coming off the bench, the caution stays alive even if his first shift is loud. That would look like shorter runs, picked spots, and enough late work to win without asking him to carry every hard possession. It would not mean trouble by itself. It would mean the Wolves are still managing the return through role and rhythm.

If he starts, plays longer stretches, pushes toward a full playoff workload, and gets the ball when every possession tightens, the picture changes. Then Game 1 starts looking less like a high-impact cameo and more like the first step back to Minnesota's normal hierarchy.

The clean signs are all on the floor. Does he beat set defense, not just run in space? Does he still explode after two or three hard drives? Does he challenge Wembanyama's backline in both halves? Under four minutes, does Minnesota put the first action in his hands, or does the offense lean more on Randle, Conley, and safer structure?

Edwards saying he felt great matters. So does the 25-minute bench role. This is not a medical call on his knee or a guess at what he feels. It is a basketball watch: minutes, shift length, downhill force, and late-game trust.

For Game 2, hold one question: do the Wolves let Edwards play like the engine again, or do they keep using him like the best weapon they are still careful with?