Anthony Edwards' history-making 3-point barrage isn't slowing down
Shortly after a win over the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 1, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards was asked about people who thought he was taking too many three-pointers.
After shooting 6.7 3-pointers a game last season, Edwards averaged 13.4 shots from long distance over the first five games with 29.8 points per game.
While some believed Edwards should be getting to the rim more, Edwards had a not-so-subtle response to his critics.
"F*** 'em."
One week, Edwards' three-point barrage has continued as he is jacking up three-pointers at a historic rate and finding a new level of efficiency to lead Minnesota to win six of their first nine games.
It's early in the season but Edwards is making a case to be mentioned in the MVP conversation. He's still averaging a career-high in points per game (29.0) and he's grabbing 5.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. But the area of his game that's gaining the most attention is his willingness to shoot (and make) three-pointers.
Edwards is currently shooting more three-pointers (11.6) per game than two-pointers (4.6) for the first time in his career and it hasn't been a matter of pressing since Karl-Anthony Towns was traded last month. Edwards is not only taking three-pointers, but he is also making them, with his shooting percentage from long-range jumping from .357 last season to .481 this season.
Edwards told Bluewire Pods' Dane Moore that he didn't make any mechanical adjustments outside of the way he steps forward when taking a shot. But there is the possibility that Edwards learned something playing alongside legendary shooters Steph Curry and Kevin Durant at the 2024 Olympics.
"I was talking to [Durant] at the Olympics after a practice trying to figure out the footwork for my shot," Edwards recalled. "That's when my shot was up and down at the Olympics when I was trying to figure out how to shoot at a higher clip and I was trying to figure out type of ways. I watched [Bucks guard Damian Lillard], Steph, I watched KD and I watched [Mavericks guard Klay Thompson]. I tried [Durant's] way [and] it didn't work. I tried Steph's way and it didn't work. And I watched Dame and I started doing Dame's shot and it started working for me."
As Edwards mentioned, whatever it looks like, it's working. With nine more threes (and 37 points) in Friday's 127-102 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Edwards is third in NBA history with 50 three-pointers made. Only Curry has had more in the first nine games of a season, hitting 53 three-pointers during the 2023-24 season and 55 3-pointers during the 2018-19 season.
Edwards' shooting percentage is also within shouting distance of the all-time single-season record early in the season, which belongs to Kyle Korver in the 2009-10 season (.5364).
It should be noted that eight players including Towns (.5556) currently are ahead of Korver's mark at this point of the season, so it's incredibly early. But Edwards will at least have the chance to do more damage as teams continue to play him underneath screens.
"It's kind of funny because [Wolves guard Mike Conley] will be telling me to get down hill and I'm like 'Bro, they're going under,'" Edwards explained. "I work on my game too much to try and force going downhill if they keep going under."
Edwards is also surprised teams continue to play him in the paint as he continues to bomb three-pointers.
"I'm happy they keep going under," Edwards laughed. "I'll keep lacing that b**** for sure."
Whatever Edwards' strategy, the three-point barrage is working and it's carrying the Wolves to early success this season.
Nov 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) questions a no call during the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Target Center
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