The Superstars Dilemma: Anthony Edwards Struggle Against Oklahoma City Thunder

In the Western Conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves have faced a formidable opponent in the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have demonstrated a strategy to neutralize the Timberwolves' offense, primarily by doubling Anthony Edwards on every drive attempt and forcing the ball elsewhere. This has resulted in a 3-1 lead for Oklahoma City in the series. Throughout the season, Edwards has struggled when he has played more than 35 minutes and attempted 13 or fewer shots. In one instance, he was sick and his team won. In another, he was so angry with the officials that he received a $50,000 fine. Every other time he was being defended by the Oklahoma City Thunder. On New Year's Eve, Edwards attempted just 12 shots, his fewest in a loss this season, and committed more turnovers (three) than he had assists (two), as the Thunder won 113-105. Minnesota head coach Chris Finch criticized the Thunder for committing fouls "everywhere" at once, stating that they are "super physical" and "foul you everywhere, every time down." The Thunder have held Edwards to 13 shots in two games—Minnesota losses in Games 1 and 4. In those games, the Timberwolves' offense committed a total of 42 turnovers and allowed 53 points off them. The Thunder's defense, led by Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have the weapons to shut down Edwards' offense. Superstars are expected to make the right play every time down the floor in these situations. When help comes, they must find the open man and force defenses into rotation, trusting the ball to find an open shot. The Wolves did this effectively in Game 4, as their role players shot a combined 17 of 31 from 3 (55%), and as a team they scored 129.9 points per 100 possessions. However, they still lost due to committing 23 turnovers and allowing 19 offensive rebounds. Edwards' process was right in Game 4; he made the right reads and was in position to win. However, he did not score enough points to help his team win. This is a superstar's dilemma; if he forces contested shots, he can be blamed for that too. "I don't look at it like I struggled," Edwards said of Game 4. "They had a good game plan, making us get off the ball. Especially for me, they were super in the gaps, I made the right play all night, so I don't really look at it like I struggled." The quality of today's NBA demands perfection from its superstars. They must strike the right balance between creating quality looks for themselves and generating them for their teammates. Even when the shots are not falling, they must continue to generate opportunities for their teammates and make the right plays.