NBA Legend Bashes Anthony Edwards After Warriors-Timberwolves Game 1

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The Golden State Warriors made a major statement in Wednesday night's Game 1 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals. In a game that saw Warriors star Stephen Curry exit early due to a hamstring injury, they still stayed in control, winning 99-88.
It was a rough night for the Timberwolves, who failed to get it going in the first half. Minnesota scored just 11 points in the first quarter, which put itself in a hole for the rest of the game.
It was especially a rough first half for Anthony Edwards, who had just one point at the break. He did finish with 23 points and 14 rebounds, but did so on 9-of-22 shooting, which was too little, too late for a comeback.
NBA legend and NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley had some loud criticism for Edwards after the game, highlighting his one-point performance. Barkley particularly pointed out Edwards' reputation for attracting confrontation across the league, especially in the postseason.
"You said you wanted the smoke... and you had 1 point at half-time" 🗣️
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 7, 2025
Chuck had thoughts about Ant's performance in Game 1. pic.twitter.com/fNgsjYrfUr
"But I was really impressed with coach [Chris] Finch in the press conference," Barkley said. "He called Anthony out. First of all, you bought all the smoke. You said you wanted the smoke... 'I want the Warriors,' and you got them. You had one point at halftime, and his energy level was down. So that, to me, is what coaching's about."
The Warriors were in full control, even without Curry. They got massive performances from Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, who combined for 62 points, 27 rebounds, and 17 assists. The offense was still efficient without Golden State's best player, which means Minnesota needs to respond in a major way in Game 2.
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Jed Katz is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism. He also covers the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets for On SI, and hosts the Bleav in Bulls podcast, covering the Chicago Bulls.
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