The Los Angeles Lakers have a difficult matchup in front of them in the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by All-Star guard Anthony Edwards. One of the brightest young stars in the NBA today, the Lakers are sure to throw a number of defenders at him to try and keep him in check, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura and, of course, Jarred Vanderbilt.
After missing the start of the season due to double foot surgery, Vanderbilt has finally gotten healthy and returned to giving the Lakers that defensive intensity he is known for. He is also familiar with Edwards, having been his teammate for more than two seasons with the Timberwolves, and Vanderbilt understands the tall task ahead of the Lakers in trying to defend the explosive guard.
“He’s a great offensive player, man,” Vanderbilt said after Lakers practice on Tuesday. “He’s super physical, he’s shooting it well this year, as you can see. So just continue to just make it tough for him. He can get going quick, so just not to get anything easy for him.”
Already one of the scariest players when attacking the rim thanks to his unreal athleticism, Edwards really took a leap as a shooter this season, leading the entire NBA in 3-pointers made while knocking them down at an extremely efficient 39.5% rate.
Lakers coach JJ Redick noted that his ability to knock those shots down, particularly off the dribble, makes him a truly special talent.
“I mean, the thing that jumps out at you is just the 3-point volume,” Redick noted. “His ability to make shots at a really high level off the bounce. You know, his pick-and-roll threes, his iso threes, dribble-up transition threes, he shoots them all at a really high clip.
“You know, I think he’s still got his mid-range package, he’s still got the ability to get to the rim and finish, but not many guys that can shoot off the dribble at volume from three can also make 40% of them. You know, that unlocks a lot.”
Edwards was fourth in the NBA in points per game and has turned into one of the most complete scorers in the league. Redick and his staff will come up with a game plan to try and contain him, and Vanderbilt will undoubtedly be one of the primary options in defending him. But executing it will take commitment from the entire Lakers team as no one person can hold Edwards down.
Schedule released for Lakers’ first-round series with Timberwolves
The NBA released the schedule for all of its first-round playoff series’, so the Lakers now know exactly when they will be taking the court against the Timberwolves.
Things kick off at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday with Game 2 following on Tuesday, April 22. The series will then shift to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 on Friday, April 25, and Sunday, April 27, respectively.
If necessary, Game 5 will be back in L.A. on Wednesday, April 30, with Game 6 on Friday, May 2 in Minnesota. If it comes down to a Game 7, that will take place at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, May 4.
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