Bradley Beal explains his hard foul of Anthony Edwards late in Wolves-Suns game

Beal didn't allow Edwards to get a highlight-reel dunk late in Sunday's game.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal talk during the second half at Footprint Center in Phoenix on March 2, 2025. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Donte DiVincenzo tried to set up Anthony Edwards for a highlight-reel slam.

The Minnesota Timberwolves already had the game well in hand late in the fourth quarter, and DiVincenzo attempted to bounce it high off the floor for Edwards to throw down a slam. Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal wasn't having it. He made sure Edwards never had a chance at the dunk, pushing him in the air and ruining the potential highlight. The sequence also resulted in a Flagrant 1 foul on Beal as the collision in the air could have potentially led to an entirely avoidable injury.

Edwards was fine and the Timberwolves closed out the 116-98 victory Sunday night.

Beal later explained that he wasn't about to let Edwards get a highlight in a game that was already decided.

"We're not about to turn this into a highlight reel," Beal told reporters. "We've already seen enough highlights from (Edwards on Sunday). And I was just making an aggressive play and letting him know, 'We not doing that.' And he respected it. He knows my intentions were never to hurt him or hurt anybody in that situation."

Bradley Beal said Minnesota didn't have to turn the game into a "highlight reel" with Donte DiVincenzo attempting a bounce lob dunk to Anthony Edwards late in Suns loss to T-Wolves.

Said he didn't intend to hurt Edwards. Later had words with T-Wolves bench.

"They were trying to… pic.twitter.com/4jvSUSxg2u

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 3, 2025