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Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves Waste No Time Taking Shots At Lakers

Alex Kirschenbaum

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have been chirping since eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers from the playoffs on Wednesday night.

More Los Angeles Lakers News: Lakers HC JJ Redick Gives One Word Answer About Game 5 Lineup Plan

Three-time All-Star Minnesota shooting guard Anthony Edwards mocked the internet's frequent "Lakers in 5" proclamations, essentially joking that the Lakers had been eliminated in five games.

"Ant Man, Batman, Superman... Lakers in five," Edwards joked, lumping his nickname in with a cadre of superheroes and turning the "Lakers in five" procalamation on its head.

During his postgame presser alongside three-time All-Star Timberwolves power forward Julius Randle, Edwards reiterated his disdain for the "Lakers in five" pre-series fan narrative, per ESPN's "SportsCenter."

"They said 'Lakers in five' and the Wolves won in five, so I think that makes it feel 10 times better."

Edwards averaged 26.8 points while slashing .420/.333/.774, 8.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.2 steals per bout against the Lakers.

The Timberwolves' official social team, meanwhile, got in on the fun, posting comic book-esque imagery of Minnesota's starting five beneath the Hollywood banner, with a plane labeled "CANCUN," sporting purple and gold streams in its wake, above them.

Sixth man power forward/center Naz Reid and seventh man combo guard Donte DiVincenzo, arguably, were more important contributors than starting point guard Mike Conley for many of the contests in the series, although Conley chipped in some clutch buckets to help close out the Lakers in Game 5.

Minnesota trolled Los Angeles again, sharing footage of the Lakers selecting eventual All-Defensive Team Timberwolves small forward Jaden McDaniels with the No. 28 pick out of Washington in the 2020 NBA Draft.

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The rights to McDaniels and former champion Lakers starting small forward Danny Green were promptly traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for point guard Dennis Schroder. McDaniels was then flipped to the Timberwolves, as were the draft rights to Immanuel Quickley, for forward Aleksej Pokusevski. Pokusevski survived exactly four seasons in the NBA and is now back in Europe playing for Serbian club Partizan.

McDaniels is the exact kind of player the Lakers could have used to combat Minnesota in this very series. In fairness, so is Schroder, whom the Lakers let walk as a free agent in 2021 before ultimately bringing him back for their Western Conference Finals-bound run in 2022-23 — after which, they subsequently let Schroder depart again as a free agent, opting to bring in the oft-hurt Gabe Vincent to replace him. Schroder's Pistons are still alive in these 2025 playoffs.

During the series against Los Angeles, McDaniels averaged 17.4 points on .574/.375/.846 shooting splits, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals a night — all playoff career highs.

More Los Angeles Lakers News:

Timberwolves Coach Calls Out Officiating in Lakers Series

Pau Gasol Sent Special Message to Lakers' Luka Doncic After Epic Return to Dallas

Western Conference Executive Compares Lakers' Austin Reaves to Undrafted Hall of Famer

Lakers Linked to $100 Million Blazers Star as Summer Trade Target

For the latest Los Angeles Lakers news and notes, stay glued to Los Angeles Lakers On SI.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Basketball is Alex's favorite sport, he likes the way they dribble up and down the court.

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