Anthony Edwards had already established himself as a playoff performer in his first two trips to the postseason.

He was electric in Minnesota’s first-round loss to Memphis in 2022.

He was unstoppable in Minnesota’s first-round loss to Denver in 2023.

And he was everything Minnesota needed and more in its Game 1 victory over Phoenix on Saturday at Target Center .

The legend only grows with each passing playoff appearance. Saturday was another masterpiece. Phoenix, as it has done all season, threw the kitchen sink at Edwards with multiple different defenders.

The look flustered Edwards during the regular season, and did again early in Game 1. The guard accounted for all four of Minnesota’s first-quarter turnovers. But you can’t keep the all-star down forever — not on the biggest stages, where he always seems to meander his way into the spotlight.

His 15 minutes of fame — which to Phoenix probably felt more like five hours of fury — came in the second half Saturday. Per usual for Edwards, it started in the third. First, he’d attack the rim, then hit a couple mid-range jumpers. Then the triples began to rain down one after another, like haymakers delivered directly to Phoenix’s jaw.

After a triple that put Minnesota up 16 with 50 seconds to play in the quarter, Edwards started talking relentlessly into the ear of Kevin Durant as the two made their way down the floor.

“I think everybody knows that’s my favorite player of all time,” Edwards said. “So that was probably one of the best feelings ever in my whole life, for sure.”

All Durant could do was smile. No hate. Game recognize game. And, at this point, Edwards has made it very clear he’s on the level of many of the game’s current elite talents.

He proves it every time he steps onto the floor in a big moment. Edwards finished with 18 points in the third quarter flurry that resulted in Minnesota essentially putting the game on ice.

“Sometimes, you’ve just got to step back. Because in the moment you’re so locked in on so many things. But at one point in time, you’re just like, ‘What is going on?’ ” Nickeil Alexander-Walker said. “Like, that’s the common theme when you’re playing with Ant. One minute, you’re lifting out of the corner to give him an outlet, and it’s off the backboard, and he dunks it. He’s just spectacular. He’s a great player.

“The things that he does are special. And I know he wants to win. So, when you see him in those zones, it’s just Ant trying to win. He’s a determined, confident guy. It’s pretty amazing to watch the way he plays. And, in moments like that, you see his confidence grow, and a lot of guys would shy away from that. He’s not one of them.”

“When you watch Ant, you’re seeing some things that you’ve never seen before,” Naz Reid said. “It’s kind of crazy.”

What’s crazier is Minnesota can so squarely rely on a 22-year-old guard to seize such stages on a consistent basis. Phoenix has Durant, Devin Booker and Brad Beal? No worries, because the Wolves have Anthony Edwards — and that often does feel like enough.

“I mean, he’s our guy,” Rudy Gobert said. “Like I said, I don’t see him as a 22-year-old. He’s our guy.”

And, if he keeps doing what he did Saturday — the guard finished with 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists — and Minnesota keeps winning because of it, he’ll soon be known around the league simply as *the guy.*

Injuries

Kyle Anderson left the first half of Saturday’s game with a hip injury and did not return. Monte Morris stepped into the rotation for Anderson, playing nine minutes.

Phoenix guard Grayson Allen suffered a sprained ankle. X-rays on the ankle were negative, but his status for Game 2 is up in the air as the Suns await to see how he responds to treatment

AP appearance

Among the celebrities attending Saturday’s contest was none other than former Vikings great running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson sat courtside, and was also present in Minnesota’s locker room after the game. The back talked to a number of Wolves players, even giving Naz Reid a brief postgame pep talk.

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