Anthony Edwards' next step: understanding they can't call them all
It’s not uncommon to see Anthony Edwards drive to the hoop, take some contact and not hear a whistle. That sequence is typically followed by Edwards pleading his case to the nearest official.
The most noteworthy example of that came on Monday in the Timberwolves’ 107-101 victory at the Oklahoma City Thunder. Edwards told Bally Sports North’s Lea B. Olson in his postgame, on-court interview that he wasn’t sure how the Wolves managed to win the game because they got “no calls” and that he was willing to “take the fine.”
The NBA fined Edwards $40,000 two days later.
On Friday back at Target Center, Edwards drove to the hoop, took some contact and didn’t hear a whistle. After again pleading his case to the nearest official, Edwards was whistled for a technical foul in what at the time was a 93-93 game.
That was one of the plays that cost the Timberwolves down the stretch of a 108-106 loss to the Orlando Magic.
“We talked about the technicals with (Edwards) the other day,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after the game. “He’s a player who puts a lot of pressure on the basket, he’s gonna get hit sometimes. The referees aren’t always going to call it. He’s gotta mature, he’s gotta get through that. How long that takes, I don’t know.”
Edwards’ tech in the loss to the Magic was his eighth this season, which is the fifth most in the NBA. He was also fifth in the NBA with 15 techs last season.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Jan. 29, 2024.
Alonzo Adams / USA TODAY Sports
Talking with KFXN-FM’s Dan Barreiro before Friday’s game, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said he thinks part of the reason for the lack of calls is the physicality Edwards plays with. But in the same breath, he made it clear that regularly complaining about calls won’t help the cause.
“The refs, they’re the best in the world, they’re not infallible. And they don’t want to be embarrassed, so our very loud mandate to our players is to treat them with respect,” Connelly said. "We don’t want to be a team that’s disrespectful to anybody, much less people that can control a game. We’ve been on the wrong end of some tough whistles. The Last Two Minute report will support that."
Connelly and Barreiro likened the situation with Edwards to past years of Karl-Anthony Towns, who similarly would frequently complain about foul calls or lack thereof. But Towns has shown maturity in that regard this season. Just two years ago in 2022, Towns was tied for fourth in the league with 16 techs. This season, he has one.
“You’re not going to get more whistles by complaining all the time,” Connelly said. “So, I think we’re growing, the only thing that’s rough is that it’s a sport that can be so impacted by a bad whistle.”
