Dirk Nowitzki berates Anthony Edwards’ one act of poor leadership after Timberwolves’ elimination

For a former MVP and champion, that crossed a line. The postgame handshake is part of playoff respect, but doing it mid-game made it look like Edwards had already waved the white flag.

Timberwolves exit made Edwards leadership question louder

Minnesota was eliminated after a 139-109 loss to San Antonio, with the Spurs winning the series 4-2.

Edwards led the Timberwolves with 24 points, but he struggled badly with efficiency, shooting 9-of-26 from the field and finishing with only two rebounds and two assists.

The game was already out of reach when Edwards went over to the Spurs’ bench. He later explained that he was simply trying to give San Antonio the respect it deserved because he knew his night was over.

That explanation may make sense from a sportsmanship angle, but it did not satisfy critics. Udonis Haslem also ripped the move, arguing that Edwards should have stayed locked in with his teammates until the game officially ended.

That is why the criticism turned into a leadership debate. Edwards is the face of the Timberwolves, and even in a blowout, the expectation is that he keeps fighting beside the group until the final possession.

Nowitzki’s reaction made that point clear. Respect can wait until the buzzer. Leadership, especially in an elimination game, cannot.

Read more:

• Anthony Edwards explains how Victor Wembanyama changes Wolves’ offensive approach
• Anthony Edwards shows disagreement with Chris Finch’s ‘punked’ remark after Game 2 loss
• How Anthony Edwards turned two-week absence into nine-day comeback