Anthony Edwards took over Game 1 over the Suns to capture a 120-95 victory, besting Kevin Durant in a heated, competitive matchup.
Durant, who stands at 6’11”, was tasked with guarding the 6’4” Edwards in the Suns Game 1 matchup, with hopes that Durant’s length would hinder Edwards's abilities to be an influential playmaker. However, Edwards proved that he is a force to be reckoned with, scoring a game-high 33 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and finding his teammates for assists six times. The 6’4” guard was all over the court, knocking down shots from beyond the arc, in the paint, and even scoring elaborate mid-range jumpers over Phoenix, and the Suns had zero solution for him.
However, it was a battle between Durant and Edwards. Durant was two points shy of tying Edwards' game-high 33 points, scoring 31 points, including grabbing seven rebounds. However, his efforts went to waste in the Suns' 25-point loss. Suns’ guard Devin Booker scored 18 points, Bradley Beal scored 15, and forward Royce O’Neale contributed 14 points from the bench.
Minnesota is looking to advance past the first round for the first time since their 2004 Western Conference Finals appearance. The Timberwolves host Game 2 on April 23 at 7:30 p.m.
