On the first play of Thursday’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Indiana Pacers, Anthony Edwards came up hobbling and was forced to leave the floor. Three minutes later, Edwards thankfully returned and, when he did, the 22-year-old All-Star put together one of his best performances of the season. Edwards led all scorers in what became a 113-111 road win for the Wolves and, in the final seconds, the hyper-athletic wing made an impressive blocked shot in transition that paved the way for Minnesota to avoid overtime and win the game.
WHAT A BLOCK
ANT EDWARDS SKIES FOR THE REJECTION TO WIN THE GAME pic.twitter.com/W0lqPOkTzT
— NBA (@NBA) March 8, 2024
When watching the replay, it quickly became clear that Edwards jumped so high that he hit his head on the rim on the game-saving play.
HE HIT HIS HEAD ON THE RIM pic.twitter.com/xHDU2bEjTS
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) March 8, 2024
Then, after the final buzzer, Edwards was interviewed, and he delivered a memorable moment. For one, he confirmed that he hit his head and, while hopefully he isn’t in too much pain, Edwards also said he may have never jumped higher.
“I hit my head I think on the rim. It’s hurting real bad and I landed on my wrist… I ain’t never jumped that high in my life.”
Anthony Edwards on his game-saving block to secure the W for the Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/n3IcxTBCAw https://t.co/WMEY9nifUz
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 8, 2024
It has been a tough week for the Wolves, with star big man Karl-Anthony Towns set to miss extended time with a torn meniscus in his knee. While one victory in March doesn’t solve the uncertainty created by that absence, Edwards was brilliant on this night, finishing with 44 points on 18-for-35 shooting in the game. For all of his offensive exploits, the biggest single play of the evening came on defense, and it helped to give Minnesota a much-needed win.