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Anthony Edwards Passes Kobe Bryant With Latest Scoring Explosion

Edwards now trails only Michael Jordan in 40-point games by a shooting guard before turning 25.
Will Ragatz|
Mar 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after a three point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at Target Center.
Mar 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after a three point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at Target Center. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

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When Anthony Edwards gets in that mode, it's a sight to behold. Buckets rain in from all over the court. Explosive finishes at the rim, fadeaway midrange jumpers, step-back threes from well beyond the line. The opponent knows what's coming and is powerless to stop it.

Edwards has put together plenty of incredible performances this season, but Tuesday night against Memphis was one of his best. He scored 41 points on 15-of-29 shooting with just four free throws. He made 7 of his 13 three-point attempts and added 6 rebounds, a season-high 5 steals, and one spectacular block.

The peak sequence came in a span of less than three minutes in the fourth quarter. Edwards hit three threes and a midrange shot, including a stepback heat check from beyond 30 feet to punctuate his night. He also had a block and a steal in that span, which saw a seven-point Timberwolves lead turn into a 17-point advantage. A feisty Grizzlies team then cut that down to four points in the final minute, but the Wolves held on for a 117-110 victory.

As Edwards knocked down a pair of free throws to get over the 40-point mark and put the game away, MVP chants echoed throughout Target Center.

This was the ninth 40-point game of the season for Edwards, which is tied with Luka Doncic for the league lead. It also ties the franchise record Edwards set last year — one he's sure to break with 20 games still to play.

For his career, Ant is up to 28 40-point games. That puts him ahead of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant on the leaderboard of 40-point performances before a player's 25th birthday. After passing Kobe, Edwards trails only Michael Jordan in 40-point games by a shooting guard before turning 25. Jordan had 52 of them, so that record is safe.

Here's the overall leaderboard:

Most 40-point games before turning 25, NBA history
Most 40-point games before turning 25, NBA history | Basketball Reference

Edwards' current pace would suggest he'll have three or four more 40-point outings if he plays the final 20 games of this season, which would put him ahead of Trae Young and Tracy McGrady.

Also notable is that, barring injury, Edwards is going to pass Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Doncic for total points scored while 24 or younger. He's less than 200 points away from Luka in third place. When he gets there, he'll be behind only LeBron James and Durant.

Edwards is a special talent who has gotten better every year of his career. At just 24 years old, he's already on pace to go down as an all-time great.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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