The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the brakes off the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, avenging their Western Conference Finals loss by taking a 123-111 win at home. From the opening tip, the team’s edge was simply greater than that of a typical regular-season game, and afterward, Wolves star Anthony Edwards made it clear.

“It’s super personal for me,” Edwards told the NBA on Prime panel after the game. “They put us out last year, and they got the reigning MVP… I think a win like this shows that, like D Wade was saying, if we bring our defensive intensity every night, we going to be all right.”

The honesty landed immediately. Everyone remembers the lasting image of last year’s series: a 4-1 loss that saw the Thunder completely dismantle the Wolves, who were previously pushed to seven games by the Nuggets, a team the Wolves had handedly beaten in the past. For Edwards, this wasn’t just about standings, but it was about measuring their own growth against the team that sent them home.

That edge showed particularly on the defensive end. Edwards pointed inward when explaining the team’s focus on playing hard, explaining that he has to set an example for his teammates, especially as the Wolves‘ leader.

“I pick and choose when I want to defend at a super high level, and I think my teammates follow,” Edwards continued. “I think tonight I came out and decided to defend at a high level and I just got to do that night in, night out, and we all know how hard that is, but I got to take the challenge and be and be willing to do it every night.”

Edwards’ growth as a leader shows in statements like these, and it marks a clear change from his first few years in the league. Now, he’s not just a star scorer, but a constant for his team.

Anthony Edwards Explains Why ‘Unguardable’ Still Isn’t a Finished Product

Of course, Anthony Edwards’ growth as a scorer is also remarkable. Last year, he showcased an otherworldly three-point shooting leap, going from 35.7% on 6.7 attempts in 2023-24, to 39.5% on 10.3 attempts in 2024-25, leading the league in total threes made. He’s carried that over into this year, shooting a high clip, though not quite at the same volume.

Previously, he spoke about his intentionality in improving his jump shot, and this season, he seems to have worked on his inside-the-arc game as well, posting 55.2% on his twos, his career high by a mile. Edwards explained his opinions on his development to the NBA on Prime panel, showing his focus on improving.

“I’m not as close as I want to be, but I’m close,” Edwards said. “I still don’t like the fact that they think certain people can guard me and stuff like that.”

Against the Thunder, he played like someone trying to prove a deeper point than just achieving the win. Nights like this might not erase last year’s loss, but they show that Edwards and the Wolves are quickly learning from yesteryear’s errors.