Anthony Edwards is one of the best players in the NBA and has an opportunity to catapult himself to even higher levels of stardom this spring with a Minnesota Timberwolves championship run. He is also extremely confident in his ability and has not been known to shy away from making bold claims about his game. So it was a bit surprising to see him be a complete non-factor on the offensive end for a good portion Minnesota's Game 1 dud against the Golden State Warriors.
Edwards had just one point at halftime before adding another 22 in the second half of a 99-88 loss. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch spoke about the perceived lack of energy from his star postgame.
"What is there to talk about? You're the leader of the team," Finch said. "You've got to come out and set the tone. If your shot is not going, you still have to carry the energy. If I've got to talk to guys about having the right energy coming into an opening second-round game, then we're not on the same page."
Charles Barkley liked this comment, to whatever level of "calling out" it elevates to, and praised Finch while speaking on Inside the NBA.
"You said you wanted all the smoke," Barkley said of Edwards. "You had one point at halftime."
"You said you wanted the smoke... You had 1 point at halftime."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2025
Charles Barkley on Anthony Edwards' Game 1 performance 🗣️
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/HwvscmOLji
To be clear, the sky is not falling for either Edwards or his team. Especially if the hamstring injury suffered by Stephen Curry continues to be a problem. There have been doubts about 37-year-old Curry and equally seasoned Draymond Green staying healthy and bringing their own energy through an arduous postseason. But Minnesota's margin for error just shrank by a decent measure.
Edwards will get a chance to answer in Game 2 and beyond. His second half was a good sign that he can handle all the smoke going forward and it'd be shocking if he didn't come out with a greater sense of urgency.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Barkley Blasts Anthony Edwards After Brutally Slow Start vs. Warriors.
