Having made it abundantly clear that he wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the bright lights of a tightly-contested series against the defending champions, Anthony Edwards decided that there was only one reasonable way to cut the lights out on the Denver Nuggets’ chances in Game One: with a little flash. Too hot to handle for any of Denver’s talented perimeter defenders, the blossoming star puts his handle on the big moment to the test, searching for a move to shake free of Aaron Gordon’s mirror-like defense. Working a quick pump of the brakes with a between-the-leg, Edwards proceeds to unbalance him entirely with a lightning-quick crossover, opening the door for a silky-smooth pull-up midway through the fourth quarter. On the list of superlatives that could describe Edwards’ Game One, “historic” was perhaps most accurate, as the two-time All-Star erupted for 43 points — one of only two players in NBA history with consecutive 40-point showings at age 22 or younger — accompanied by seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, two blocks, and three 3-pointers. Edwards’ herculean effort helped the Minnesota Timberwolves draw first blood with a series-opening victory on May 4, 2024. · May 4, 2024