Anthony Edwards looked like a shell of himself during Tuesday’s West Finals opener. He was smothered by Thunder’s elite defense, limiting him to just 18 points on 5 of 13 shooting. With their best player struggling, the Wolves ended up getting blown out by 26 points. Sure enough, Ant-Man was disappointed in himself.

Following the brutal loss, he detailed the personal concern he faced against OKC’s defense, “They clog the paint. That’s what they do. They don’t got much size down there, so they bank on us not making shots, I guess.” Yes, Mark Daigneault’s squad didn’t allow Edwards to use one of his biggest strengths–Going downhill and attacking the rim. Ant continued, “They put like five-four bodies in the paint, make you kick it out.”

Understanding OKC’s strategy, Edwards vowed to come back stronger in Game 2, “Good to get it out our system in Game 1 you know. So, we’ll be ready for it in Game 2. We should be ready.” And he was, in fact, ready. Overcoming his struggles, Ant-Man came out far more aggressive last night, scoring 32 points and nine rebounds. His shot attempts doubled from the previous game.

Although the Wolves ended up losing anyway, this time for different reasons, Chris Finch was pleased with Edwards’ performance. “Yeah, I mean you saw the aggressiveness from the beginning. I thought he did a good job of finding his teammates and being aggressive, you know. Getting downhill, playing quicker, quicker off the spot, picking a direction and going, being smart in a crowd.” The head coach remarked. Surely, Ant-Man’s resurgence will give Finch some hope for the upcoming games of the series.

Chris Finch sends clear message to Wolves locker room before Game 3

Even though the Wolves are down 2-0, this series is far from over. Now that Edwards has found his groove and the West Finals are heading to Minnesota, Finch’s squad can make a miraculous comeback if they play their cards right. And the head coach had a stern message for his locker room before hopping on the flight back home, “Every minute in the series is a chance to find something. So, we’re gonna go back home, this is a good team at home. So, we’re gonna go home and fight for Game 3. Heads up, look at the tape, and get ready for Game 3.” Finch continues to have faith in his team despite the back-to-back blowout losses.

However, Anthony Edwards’ parting actions from OKC could be a sign of concern. Last night, he left Paycom Center without talking to the media, which will likely lead to a hefty fine. In the past, other NBA players have been fined anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 for violating media access rules. Well, it’s not like Edwards’ money is safe when he addresses the media. During Tuesday’s presser, he dropped an F-bomb, which cost him $50,000. “I guess I’ve gotta shoot more. I only took 13 fu**ing shots.” He said, reflecting on his Game 1 performance.

That fine took his overall tally to a whopping $420,000 for the season, most of which have been for using profane language during interviews. Maybe that’s why Anthony Edwards decided to avoid the media address altogether last night. Just like Finch, his sole focus is on winning Game 3 at home and giving the Wolves some life in this series. Remember—no team in playoffs history has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit. So, the Wolves surely don’t want to go down that hole. Do you think they can avoid it on Saturday?