DETROIT – Anthony Edwards told the media to pause a moment before they asked him questions following the Timberwolves' 128-117 win over Detroit. He had his reasons. He was finishing a mobile McDonald's order on his phone of McChickens from the $1 menu.
Timberwolves shake off defensive inconsistencies to beat Detroit
The Wolves had more trouble with the Pistons than they probably expected coming into the night, but they left Detroit with a 128-117 victory.
February 4, 2022 at 12:16PM
"Cheap dude," Edwards said, before realizing he's not exactly thrifty. "I ain't even going to say cheap dude, because I like cars and jewelry. But yeah, cheap dude."
Edwards earned the extra caloric intake in part because he didn't stop attacking the rim in scoring 25 points. He didn't earn it because of his defensive play.
"Our defense wasn't there at all," Edwards said. "We let this team score way too much and way too easy. Even myself, a couple times I let guys go right past me and that's not like me."
That summed up the Wolves' defensive effort against the lowly Pistons, but the Wolves still came away with their third consecutive victory. They had too much firepower offensively even without D'Angelo Russell (left shin contusion) for the fourth consecutive game, and even on a night they allowed the league's second-worst offense to hit shots and have the lead through most of the third quarter.
But late in the third, the Wolves turned it on and their bench sprinted past Detroit thanks in part to 23 points from the scorching-hot Taurean Prince and 18 from Malik Beasley. The bench helped build a 16-point lead in the fourth.
"Our second unit in the third gave us a big enough gap," Edwards said. "Because we [the starters] came out and stunk it up in the fourth."
They didn't stink it up enough to ruin the night. The Pistons closed within five multiple times, including 122-117 with 1 minute, 35 seconds remaining. After Karl-Anthony Towns missed a three-pointer, he made up for it on the other end with two blocks, one each on Saddiq Bey (21 points) and Jerami Grant (20 points). That increased defensive presence this season, coupled with Towns' 21 points and 14 rebounds, was an illustration why he was named an All-Star Game selection for the third time right around tipoff.
"It was something that was very cool," Towns said. "It's a big honor. I'm tremendously honored that I get to represent our team there."
Towns said he had "blinders" on and didn't want to know what was going on with the All-Star voting while the game was happening, which was a change from years past when Towns would react emotionally to making it or getting snubbed.
"I wasn't pressed the All-Star came for me this year or not," Towns said. "I was more worried about this playoff run and this game tonight, staying in the present."
It wasn't until halftime, he said, when Edwards came up to him to congratulate him. Edwards didn't want to make too much of a scene because the Wolves were trailing 67-65.
"As soon as the game was over I went up to him and gave him a big hug like, bruh, proud of you, bruh," Edwards said.
Towns appreciated the love from his teammates.
"It's just such a tight-knit crew with what we have with ourselves," Towns said. "I'm just really, really impressed with how much we really lean on each other, not only just basketball-wise, but in personal life and everything. It just leads to such a close group, and the results are showing on the basketball court."
The Wolves are two games above .500 (27-25) for the first time since they were 3-1 and for just the third time in the past two seasons.
As Towns likes to say, winning makes food taste better. Edwards was all too happy to test that theory.
"I need to eat good," Edwards said.
Both teams were returning from a break and showed it, but Jaden McDaniels' energy salvaged matters for Minnesota.
