DENVER – Anthony Edwards can no longer sneak past opponents.
The second-year player had it easy when he first came into the league.
"It's crazy," Edwards said. "I used to walk into threes. Iso [isolation], one person, get past him, get to the rim."
Not anymore.
"But now, it's two people, three people," Edwards said. "I see how KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns] feels now. Hats off to KAT, man."
Towns gets a full complement of double teams every night. Edwards is still new to them and has been trying to figure how best to beat them. He saw plenty of double coverage Friday against the Nuggets, and it's indicative of the kind of coverages he's likely to see should the Wolves make it to the postseason.
"I'm learning more and more," Edwards said. "I learned from these last three games how teams are going to guard me. PB [Patrick Beverley] said, 'This is how the playoffs are going to be. This is how they're going to guard you. They going to put two on you. You got to get ready for that.' "
Edwards was 1-for-10 through the first three quarters vs. Denver but made up for it by going 5-for-5 in the fourth to finish with 18 points.
"He was trying to attack the team from the middle, and the way Denver's defense set up, you have to attack them from the slots," Beverley said. "They present a low man, but when you're middle, the defense can see everything. When you're in the slots, it's kind of tilted."
Edwards made the adjustment before the fourth quarter.
"He was a star," Beverley said. "He made shots in the fourth quarter and that's what it's about."
Finch and others that know Edwards rave about how smart he is, how he can pick up concepts and adjust to things at a fast rate.
One thing he learned?
"Man, you got to be able to make tough shots," Edwards said.
At times this season, Edwards has had to fight his natural inclinations against double teams and just make the simple, easy play to get around it. He's learning quickly on the job.
"He's a sponge," Beverley said. "He's not one of those young guys that you tell him something and it's in one ear and out the other. He absorbs it, he applies it when he needs to. You heard my quotes about him, I think he can be up there with the best of them. It's up to me, coach [Chris Finch] to continue to push him every night.'
It could help alleviate some pressure if he and Towns can get their two-man chemistry operating at a high level. Defenses would have to choose between the two and Towns' ability to hit from deep — and Edwards' ability to take people off the dribble — can make defenses pay if they make a wrong decision.
"It's evolving," Edwards said. "KAT, he's special, man. Him being able to shoot the three so good, if they're going to keep two on the ball on the ball screen, he's going to be open every time. He's the three-point champion, so we know that's three points every time he touches it."
Edwards can help create space for Towns thanks to some of the attention he is receiving.
