Over the previous couple of days, there was a big dialogue surrounding Charles Barkley’s criticism in the direction of Anthony Edwards.
The retired legend and present NBA on TNT analyst lately claimed that it regarded like Edwards’s sport has “regressed,” noting that the Minnesota Timberwolves famous person hasn’t been aggressive sufficient this season like what he was once final 12 months.
Present NBA star Draymond Inexperienced begged to disagree with Barkley’s notion that Edwards’ performances have declined.
Within the current episode of his Draymond Inexperienced Present with Baron Davis, the Golden State Warriors star even argued that Edwards made a leap and improved as a participant total this 2024-25 season.
“I don’t suppose Anthony Edwards has regressed,” Inexperienced mentioned. “I don’t suppose Anthony Edwards has performed the best way all people anticipated him to come back again enjoying from going to a Western Convention Finals, with the starvation, with the tenacious angle that he has anyway, I don’t suppose he’s accomplished that, however regress?
“He’s gotten higher truly, as a participant, his leap shot is means higher. So I wouldn’t say regressed. I don’t suppose that’s the precise phrase.
“Eradicating a participant like KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns] is an enormous deal, and it takes a while to determine a transfer like that. It might take a while to determine that out.”
By wanting on the statistical desk, Edwards at present has an identical output in comparison with what he tallied final 2023-24 season. In 37 video games to this point, he’s averaging 25.7 factors, 5.7 boards, and 4.1 assists whereas capturing 44.1 % from the sector throughout 36.4 minutes.
If there’s an intriguing spike in Edwards’s numbers, that needs to be his three-point capturing. The Timberwolves sensation is having a career-best price past the arc (42.7%) whereas making an attempt probably the most makes an attempt in his profession at 10.0 — a large leap to the 6.7 makes an attempt he simply registered final 12 months.
From this, the criticism is perhaps deeply rooted in the direction of Edwards’s elevated reliance on three pointers. In different methods, we are able to merely acknowledge that the 23-year-old has improved as a shooter.
Nonetheless, it gained’t change the truth that Edwards stays a big-time participant which Inexperienced indicated can solely get loads of protection on the defensive aspect of the ball. And upon going through him 3 times already this common season, the Warriors veteran can attest that Edwards regarded sharper.
“He’s going to get double teamed, you possibly can’t cease him one on one. In order that’s going to occur, and he ought to anticipate to see extra of that,” Inexperienced mentioned of Edwards. “His coach has to determine negate these double groups.
“I’ve performed towards Anthony Edwards this 12 months, I can inform you, he ain’t regressed one bit.”
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