Anthony Edwards drops 44 in overtime thriller as Timberwolves star shrugs off scare and surges into December

Anthony Edwards has ignited the first week of December with a season-high 44 points in an overtime win at New Orleans, powering Minnesota to a statement road victory just days after a 32-point showcase against San Antonio. The All-Star briefly left Tuesday’s game in the third quarter after a knee knock, then returned to torch the Pelicans down the stretch and in OT—another reminder that the Timberwolves’ ceiling rises and falls with his two-way ferocity.

Anthony Edwards’ big week: volume, efficiency, and clutch

Edwards’ 44 came on a blend of pressure drives, step-back threes (six makes from deep), and late-game shot-making that flipped a double-digit deficit. The guard logged more than 47 minutes, answered a physical bump without lingering effects, and closed with the kind of poised decision-making that has become his calling card this season.

Two nights earlier, he led Minnesota with 32 points in a fourth-quarter avalanche that buried San Antonio. Taken together, the back-to-back performances underline three trends:

• Rim pressure remains elite. Edwards is using strength to dislodge primary defenders and finish through contact or spray to shooters when the second defender arrives.

• The three-ball as a closer. When opponents duck under, he’s punishing space—particularly above the break.

• Late-clock control. Minnesota is increasingly comfortable flattening sets and letting Edwards read and react in isolation, trusting his mid-range pull-up and strong handle to generate clean looks.

Context after the hamstring hiccup

November opened with a precautionary absence for right hamstring tightness and a short multi-game layoff. Since returning, Edwards has rebuilt rhythm steadily, stacking 30-plus outings and flashing improved chemistry with front-court partners. The takeaway: the burst is back. He’s exploding off the first step, elevating without hesitation, and regaining the shoulder-through-chest finishes that separate him from most high-usage wings.

How Edwards’ surge is changing Minnesota’s offense

With defenses tuned to choke off the paint, Minnesota is leveraging Edwards’ gravity to unlock secondary scoring:

• Two-man game: High 1-5 pick-and-rolls force centers to choose between corralling Edwards or conceding lobs and duck-ins.

• Weak-side punishment: When help tags from the corners, Minnesota’s wings are cashing open threes—key to recent fourth-quarter bursts.

• Tempo triggers: Live-ball boards and deflections from the frontcourt let Edwards push in early offense, where he’s at his most decisive.

The result is a cleaner shot profile: rim attempts and rhythm threes up, long twos down, and crunch-time possessions simplified.

Quick timeline: Anthony Edwards’ last three games

Stats and dates as recorded on game nights; minor updates may occur with official postgame corrections.

What to watch next for Anthony Edwards

1. Shot diet sustainability. The recent spike in above-the-break threes is a weapon—but the engine remains rim attacks. Expect opponents to load early help; Minnesota’s counters (short rolls, corner relocations) will determine efficiency.

2. Free-throw volume. When Edwards lives at the line, Minnesota’s offense stabilizes even when the jumper cools. December whistle trends will be telling.

3. Defensive playmaking. His best stretches include point-of-attack heat and back-side blocks in chase-down situations. That activity fuels runouts and turns good nights into dominant ones.

4. Late-game reps. The Wolves increasingly trust him to orchestrate in crunch time. Monitoring turnover control versus blitzes will show where the next leap comes.

Schedule and form note

Minnesota’s December slate features a mix of conference tests and showcase matchups, with road-home swings that challenge consistency. After the New Orleans epic, the focus turns to recovery, managing minutes after the brief knee scare, and stacking wins as the standings compress. Any lingering tightness would be handled conservatively, but Edwards’ immediate return and burst in overtime suggest no acute limitation.

Big-picture impact

Anthony Edwards is playing like a top-tier closer again—an MVP-adjacent profile when the jumper falls and the defensive motor runs hot. For the Timberwolves, that means fourth quarters feel shorter, opposing leads feel smaller, and every national stage looks like an opportunity rather than a test. If this early-December form holds, Minnesota’s offense gains the late-clock certainty contenders need, and the conversation around Edwards shifts from “can he carry a team?” to “how far can he carry this one?”