Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards Shoulders Blame for Blowout Game 3 Loss to Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered Game 3 of the West semifinals in the driver's seat with a 2-0 lead in the series, but the Denver Nuggets loudly announced that the series is far from over, blowing out Minnesota by a score of 117-90 at the Target Center on Friday night.

After the game, Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards spoke to reporters and accepted blame for the Game 3 loss, Minnesota's first of the postseason thus far.

"It’s on me, I’ll take the blame for this loss," Edwards said. "I came out with no energy at all. …I can’t afford to do that for my team. I let my team, coaches, and the fans down.”

"I came out flat. I can't afford to do that."

Anthony Edwards says he was unable to find his usual energy in the Game 3 loss to Denver and is eager to respond. #WolvesBack pic.twitter.com/A1VswdhWMn
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) May 11, 2024

When a reporter pointed out that Edwards seemed like he had energy, as evidenced by his dancing during the pregame, the Timberwolves guard responded by saying that "he didn't come out with energy during the game."

"I thought I had it, you know, until the game started and I just was flat the entire game and I never found it," Edwards said.

The Timberwolves star, who has drawn comparisons to Michael Jordan for his stellar play in the playoffs, scored just 19 points—his second-lowest output of the playoffs—and turned the ball over five times.

Despite his relatively quiet game in the box score, Edwards was very vocal with his teammates, stressing to them that the rout was just one game in the entire series during a mic'd up segment for the ESPN broadcast.

Ant giving his teammates words of encouragement during Game 3 blowout loss 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0AEvwJK1qi
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 11, 2024

Edwards and the Timberwolves will get a chance to inch closer to that series-clinching, fourth win when Game 4 tips off on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET in Minneapolis.