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Anthony Edwards' ascent to face of the league continues with Game 4 win over Lakers
It's well past time to stop underestimating guard Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
With 10.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter in Minnesota's home game on Sunday, Edwards drilled two clutch free throws, giving the Wolves a 116-113 lead. The Lakers then drove up the court, setting up an open three-pointer for guard Austin Reaves, but the ball rattled out of the bucket.
ANT HITS THE CLUTCH FTS!
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2025
TIMEBRWOLVES GET THE STOP ON THE OTHER END!!
MINNESOTA TAKES A 3-1 SERIES LEAD pic.twitter.com/gCzJIuTpEV
With the loss, the Lakers now trail the Timberwolves 3-1. Of course, it's not the first time Lakers forward LeBron James has been in this position.
During the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers trailed the Golden State Warriors 3-1, but the future Hall of Famer led a comeback, and the club won its only championship.
While that Warriors team featured Stephen Curry and a prime Klay Thompson, it didn't have a force like Edwards.
On Sunday, he scored 43 points on 12-of-23 shooting, grabbed nine rebounds and had six assists. His stellar performance helped Minnesota outscore L.A. 32-19 in the fourth quarter.
ANTHONY EDWARDS WAS HANDING OUT BUCKETS ALL GAME pic.twitter.com/objPaugMzP
— ESPN (@espn) April 27, 2025
James and Lakers guard Luka Doncic have played well throughout the series. Through four games, Doncic has averaged 30.8 points per game, while James has averaged 26.3 points per game. On Sunday, Doncic and James combined for 65 points. But that's still not enough to knock off Edwards and Co.
The series heads back to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on TNT. If L.A. wins that game, don't expect James to spur another remarkable comeback.
Until the Lakers find a way to ground Edwards, they'll likely be eliminated from the first round of the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
While the Lakers roster has, perhaps, the two biggest stars in the sport in James and Doncic, it seems the series may be Edwards' moment to shine.
More must-reads:
- Watch: Bucks' Damian Lillard heads to locker room after non-contact injury
- Pacers spread points around, thump Bucks in Game 4
- The 'Most points in Game 1 of an NBA Finals' quiz
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Report: Mutual interest exists between Knicks and current NBA head coach
The New York Knicks recently fired Tom Thibodeau, which was a decision some expected. However, others felt it was the wrong decision for an organization that had gone more than 20 years without a conference finals appearance. Regardless, the Knicks are searching for a new leader, and there seems to be mutual interest with a current NBA coach. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Jason Kidd and New York could become a reality this offseason. This comes days after NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Knicks were expected to request Dallas' permission to interview Kidd "in the coming days." New York released a statement in regard to dismissing Thibodeau of his head coaching duties, which made it abundantly clear that the organization is in win-now mode. Kidd is a legitimate candidate for a team such as the Knicks, who want to compete for a championship now. He has nine years of head-coaching experience and posts a 179-149 record in four seasons in Dallas, leading the Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance in 2024. Despite reaching the NBA Finals just a year ago, Dallas shipped Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package that included Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick. General manager Nico Harrison executed the transaction without notifying Kidd. Because of that, it is understandable why Kidd could be interested in departing Dallas for a situation where he will probably have better communication with his front office. If Kidd were to agree to terms with the Knicks, he would have familiarity with the city, as he played his final year of his playing career in New York during the 2012-13 season. In addition, Kidd coached the Knicks' cornerstone guard Jalen Brunson during their time together in 2021 in Dallas. The Mavericks cannot afford to lose Kidd, but at this point, it is a real possibility he will be coaching in Madison Square Garden next season.
Five potential landing spots for Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander
The Green Bay Packers on Monday announced that they are releasing Jaire Alexander, and there should be plenty of interest in the veteran cornerback once he hits the open market. Though he has been limited to just 14 games over the last two seasons, Alexander made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2022. He has been one of the best corners in the NFL when healthy. Here are five teams that could potentially try to sign Alexander: Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys have a solid pair of starting cornerbacks in Daron Bland and Trevon Diggs, but the latter has suffered two significant injuries since he signed an extension two years ago. Diggs missed the majority of the 2023 season after tearing his ACL in practice. He then had another procedure on the same knee last December and was shut down for the last several weeks of the season. Dallas landed a cornerback in the third round of the draft when it selected Shavon Revel Jr., but he is also coming off a torn ACL he suffered last September. Alexander has had plenty of injury issues himself, but there is no question the Cowboys could use another capable defensive back. Miami Dolphins The Dolphins have been openly exploring potential trades for former All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. It seems like Ramsey wants out of Miami, too, as he is not expected to be present for mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Alexander would give the Dolphins a less expensive option than Ramsey with a similar resume. If Miami were to trade Ramsey and not bring in a veteran, it would have to rely on a young cornerback like Cam Smith, Ethan Bonner or Storm Duck to step up. That is hardly a sure thing. Minnesota Vikings Byron Murphy Jr. had a solid year in 2024, but he is the only sure-fire starter at the cornerback position in Minnesota. A healthy Alexander would almost certainly slide into the No. 2 spot on the depth chart with the Vikings ahead of Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon. The Vikings are also very familiar to Alexander, who has played all seven seasons of his NFL career in the NFC North. Philadelphia Eagles The Eagles' cornerback room looks a lot different after they released Darius Slay and traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans. Quinyon Mitchell is the only safe bet to start at the position now for Philadelphia, with the hope being that Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson can step up. Alexander could help fill the void left by the departures of Slay and Gardner-Johnson, and he was also born and raised in Philly. Though, we have already laid out several pros and cons to the defending Super Bowl champions signing Alexander. Baltimore Ravens No team in the NFL enjoys stockpiling slightly-past-their-prime veterans more than the Ravens. Nate Wiggins, a first-round pick in 2024, had a solid rookie season and is expected to start opposite Chidobe Awuzie, who signed with Baltimore this offseason. Alexander would definitely have a path to a starting job with the Ravens. The thought of him on the field with Wiggins and All-Pro slot corner Marlon Humphrey should appeal to fans in Baltimore.
Watch: Red Sox's Roman Anthony makes brutal blunder in his MLB debut
Roman Anthony on Monday had an eventful MLB debut for the wrong reasons. MLB’s No. 1 overall prospect made his highly anticipated debut for the Boston Red Sox against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park in Boston. Instead of getting treated to some first-game fireworks courtesy of Anthony, Red Sox fans witnessed the 21-year-old commit a costly blunder in right field. With the Rays leading 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Tampa Bay slugger Yandy Diaz came up to the plate with a man on first and two outs against Red Sox starter Brayan Bello. Diaz hit a rope to right field that had an exit velocity of 111.2 mph off the bat. Anthony ran toward the ball, not realizing how hard it had been hit. The ball went right under his glove, which allowed Brandon Lowe to score from first on a fielding error. Anthony was unable to make up for it at the plate. The young slugger went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first three MLB at-bats. Red Sox fans have been calling for the team to call up Anthony for months. The fan base has had to stay patient for him to make his big league debut. They may have to exercise that same patience before Roman starts crushing 500-foot home runs like he did in the minors.
Oilers Pushing NHL to Monitor Critical Element of Cup Final
A quiet but significant off-ice battle is unfolding in the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers, and it centers around penalties, screens, and Panthers forward Sam Bennett. According to TSN’s reporting, the Oilers have raised concerns with the NHL about Bennett’s repeated collisions with goaltender Stuart Skinner, particularly in front of the crease. In Game 1, Bennett appeared to fall “accidentally on purpose” into Skinner, a move that led to a failed Edmonton challenge and a Florida power play. In Game 2, Bennett was penalized for goalie interference in a near-identical sequence. While the calls have gone 1-1 in the two games, the players are uncertain about what will be called and what won’t. The Oilers aren’t thrilled that the officials aren’t protecting the goalie, particularly given Bennett’s reputation as a player who happens to fall in a way that could injure a key member of the opposing team. The Oilers Know What Bennett Is Up To The Oilers and Panthers both have meetings with the series supervisor, Chris King, and present their cases for the issues they want to address with the officiating. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has been pushing the league to take a closer look at Bennett’s crease-crashing tendencies. The Oilers believe he’s repeatedly crossing a line and will continue to do so until he’s given a penalty every time he’s “pushed” into a goalie. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun noted that the coaching staff’s discussions with series supervisors have become part of the chess match. While it’s unclear exactly what was said behind closed doors, it’s obvious the Oilers want tighter enforcement in front of the net. Chris Johnston even noted that Knoblauch brought physics into the conversation, joking that Bennett’s falls one way after being pushed another. It just so happens that he always falls into Skinner, defying the laws of gravity. But the concern is no joke: the Panthers have made life miserable for Edmonton’s netminder through two games. Panthers Are Pushing Back on the Bennett Narrative On the other side, the Panthers and head coach Paul Maurice haven’t remained quiet when their team and players are challenged for being unethical and dirty. Their message has been that this is playoff hockey—tough, gritty, and physical. Maurice has reportedly told supervisors that Florida plays aggressively but cleanly, and that not every collision or shove warrants a whistle. There has also been some talk that the Panthers have suggested the officials watch a little more closely for moving screens and picks from the Oilers. They believe a goal that was scored shouldn’t have counted, and Evan Bouchard was the culprit. The contrasting arguments with the league have become a bit of a storyline of their own. Edmonton wants protection for its goaltender. Florida wants leeway to play its bruising style and for the Oilers to reduce the number of NBA-style picks. And in a series where McDavid can do magic when he gets going and has open ice, or where greasy goals and net-front chaos could decide the Cup, this behind-the-scenes tug-of-war could shape the rest of the series. These meetings with league supervisors matter. If the referees tighten up calls in one direction or another, it could tilt the ice slightly in one team’s favor.
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