Frustration boiled over for Anthony Edwards on Wednesday night.
The Timberwolves star left the bench and headed to the locker room during a timeout late in Minnesota’s 126-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, a move that head coach Chris Finch said should not have happened.
Edwards’ exit came with 7:52 remaining after Finch pulled his starters with Atlanta up 109-80. As the timeout began, Edwards tossed his towel and walked off the bench without permission.
He did not return and declined to speak with reporters afterward.
“Obviously frustrated with the performance and rightfully so,” Finch said, via The Associated Press. “But he needs to stay out on the floor and root for his team.”
The outburst overshadowed another big scoring night for Edwards, who finished with 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting in 33 minutes.
The All-Star guard entered the game eighth in the NBA in scoring at 29.1 points per game and remains the focal point of Minnesota’s offense.
It was also the second straight game in which Edwards’ emotions became part of the story. He was ejected in overtime of the Timberwolves’ loss at Denver last Thursday after arguing foul calls, despite pouring in 44 points before exiting.
Wednesday’s game carried added weight for Edwards, an Atlanta native who played in front of friends and family, including his grandfather.
Instead, it ended with Minnesota trailing by nearly 30 and its star walking off in visible frustration.
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Wait wait hold on.. Let us clarify?
He pulled the starters with 8 minutes left down 19? In the three point era? 8 minutes?
And why did Finch say “obviously frustrated with the performance… but he…” in reference to Edwards?
Did Edwards tell him personally that’s why he walked away?
Question.. does Finch usually pull his starters with 8 mins in the 4th? Is this a regular rotation thing?
I’m guessing it was more along the lines of Finch giving up. Conceding. With 8 minutes left in the three point era, down less than 20.
That could be considered coaching negligence. Or not trying to win. Any seriously competitive player would have a problem with that.
Does anybody doubt for a second that Edwards believed they had a chance to win that game just before the starters got pulled?
Why is Finch quitting so fast? Maybe HE was frustrated? Gave up?
Perhaps Edwards did Finch a favor by not expressing his true feelings to him there on the bench in front of everybody. Maybe Edwards did the right thing, given the circumstances here, with his coach giving up. Finch basically invited him to sit the bench in front of his family and be a cheerleader for a team that has given up on trying to win. Make it make sense. He declined the offer.
It’s Anthony Edwards. He wants to be out there, with a shot to win the game. Jordan wouldn’t be okay with that either. Finch is getting off easy.
okay 29.. I mathed poorly.
Point still stands.. but not really.. not really that well.