Anthony Edwards Calls Out Timberwolves After Tough Loss: “We Soft as Hell”
MINNEAPOLIS — If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Anthony Edwards in his four-plus NBA seasons, it’s that he doesn’t hold back. The Minnesota Timberwolves star has always been outspoken, but after Wednesday night’s 115-104 loss to the Sacramento Kings, Edwards took his honesty to another level, delivering a raw, profanity-laced critique of his team’s recent struggles.
“Our identity right now is, I think it’s we soft as hell as a team, internally,” Edwards said bluntly. “Not to the other team, but internally, we soft. We can’t talk to each other. Just a bunch of little kids. Just like we playing with a bunch of little kids. Everybody, the whole team. We just can’t talk to each other. And we’ve got to figure it out, because we can’t go down this road.”
Ouch. That’s not exactly the kind of locker room vibe you’d expect from a team that made it all the way to the 2024 Western Conference finals. But the Timberwolves are clearly not the same squad they were last season. After starting the season 6-3, they’ve now dropped four straight games and seven of their last nine, falling to 8-10 on the year. The team’s chemistry has been shaky ever since the late-offseason trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, and it’s showing on the court.
Blowing Leads and Pointing Fingers
Wednesday’s loss to Sacramento was a perfect example of the Timberwolves’ struggles. Minnesota held a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter but couldn’t close the deal. This collapse came just one day after a 117-111 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets at home. Edwards didn’t mince words when describing the team’s performance.
“We look like front-runners for sure tonight,” Edwards said. “We was down, nobody wanted to say nothing. We got up and everybody [was] cheering and [hyped up]. We get down again and don’t nobody say nothing. That’s the definition of a frontrunner. We as a team, including myself, we all was frontrunners tonight.”
Edwards didn’t stop there. He also called out what he sees as a lack of unity and focus within the team. “Everybody right now is on different agendas,” he said. “I think that’s one of the main culprits of why we’re losing.”
New Faces, New Challenges
The Timberwolves’ roster underwent a major shake-up just weeks before the season began, with Towns heading to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. While Towns has thrived with the Knicks, Randle and DiVincenzo have had inconsistent starts in Minnesota. Edwards, however, made it clear that the team’s issues go beyond the new additions.
“I’m talking about the whole team,” Edwards said. “However many of us it is, all 15, we go into our own shell and we’re just growing away from each other. It’s obvious. We can see it. I can see it, the team can see it, the coaches can see it.”
Fans at the Target Center seem to agree. Their frustration boiled over on Wednesday night, with boos raining down on the Timberwolves during the game. Edwards didn’t hold back when addressing the crowd’s reaction.
“The fans f—ing booing us,” he said. “That s— is crazy, man. We’re getting booed in our home arena. That’s so f—ing disrespectful, it’s crazy.”
What’s Next for the Timberwolves?
With an 8-10 record, the Timberwolves have plenty of time to turn things around, but it’s clear that the team needs to address its internal issues sooner rather than later. Edwards’ comments, while harsh, could serve as a wake-up call for a team that’s struggling to find its identity.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the Timberwolves’ current situation:
- Record: 8-10
- Recent Performance: Lost four straight games and seven of their last nine
- Next Game: Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers
- Key Concern: Lack of team chemistry and communication
Can the Timberwolves regroup and recapture the magic that took them to the Western Conference finals last season? Or will this season be defined by missed opportunities and internal discord? One thing’s for sure: Anthony Edwards isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and his teammates would do well to listen.
Originally Written by: Andrew Lopez
