Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves edged out the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs by 104-102 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal series. Antoine Walker was not surprised by that result.

The 2006 NBA champion feels that, although the San Antonio Spurs have momentum on their side, it won't be an easy series for them. He feels the Timberwolves' playoff experience should not be overlooked.

Speaking on the show, Nightcap, Walker said, "Everybody thinking because the Spurs had a great season that this was going to be an easy series. No, Minnesota feel confident."

For context, the Timberwolves have reached the Conference semifinals in consecutive seasons, while the Spurs are in their first deep playoff run.

"The Minnesota team been together for some years now. They've been in the wars. This is the first trip for San Antonio," Walker said. "That core seven, eight guys besides Terrence Shannon have been in these wars and played tough games. So they got an advantage that way."

The Timberwolves’ recent history supports Walker’s thinking as well. Minnesota became the first team to reach the conference semi-finals as a sixth seed in consecutive seasons, beating the Denver Nuggets, the team that had knocked them out in 2023.

On the other hand, the Spurs are in the Conference Semifinals for the first time and lack the experience of being there.

Walker feels that when the game gets tight in the fourth quarter, the one with the familiarity of the situation gets the edge, just like Anthony Edwards did in Game 1. Edwards returned from a knee injury and scored 18 points in 25 minutes, including 11 in the fourth quarter, to help the Timberwolves win.

And Edwards’ experience would matter in Game 2 as well.

Anthony Edwards' Status Ahead of Game 2

Edwards, who suffered a left knee hyperextension and a bone bruise in the previous round against the Denver Nuggets, is questionable for Game 2. Nicknamed ‘Wolverine’ by his teammates due to his capability of recovering fast, the star guard featured in Game 1, but with time limitations.

As reported by NBA Today, Edwards will undergo further treatment to determine whether he can play in the second matchup of the series.

As per Antoine Walker, if Edwards can play for 20-25 minutes in Game 2 on Wednesday (starting at 9:30 PM EST), the series won't be long

“I don’t know how hurt he is. You know, it’s hard for us to tell. But if he gets anywhere to 20, 25 a night, they got a chance to get this thing over in five, man, I like Minnesota,” Walker concluded.

And if he plays, the Spurs, facing a 1-0 deficit on their own floor, will need to find an answer they did not have in Game 1 on Monday.

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Written by

Koushik Biswas

Edited by

Siddharth Rawat