Playoff Anthony Edwards is quietly shaping up to be the NBA’s scariest game

Containing Anthony Edwards was always a difficult task. His athleticism and perimeter shot making have made him one of the best players in recent seasons. However, Edwards has now reached another level and he seems downright unstoppable.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star is averaging a career-high 29.6 points, and after a career-high 55-point game on Saturday night, everyone is starting to notice Ant’s greatness and growth. Edwards has made significant progress as a mid-range goalscorer, decision-maker and goalscorer. Notably, Edwards averages 6.0 points and shoots 71.7 percent in clutch time situations.

While it’s great to see Edwards dominate in the regular season, his growth will undoubtedly have even more of an impact in the playoffs. Honestly, I don’t think it’s far-fetched to say he could be the toughest playoff match in the league right now. Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the only two possible exceptions.

Edwards is unstoppable

Edwards’ improved midrange has helped him reach a new level. He is currently shooting a career-high 41.9 percent from midrange on 3.6 attempts per game. The post-fadeaway shot has been a key component for Ant in the mid-range: he shoots 57.6 percent on post-ups, which ranks in the 73rd percentile. With his already elite finishing and three-point shooting, adding a mid-range game has made him a truly complete scorer.

Ant-Man is shooting an absurd 72.5 percent at the rim this season, the highest mark of his career. Undoubtedly, his growth as a mid-range goal scorer has helped him reach new levels as a finisher. Teams can no longer force Edwards into a shot, whereas before they could force him into mid-range.

Additionally, Edwards can be more decisive when attacking the rim due to his growth as a mid-range scorer. When other teams have an elite rim protector, Edwards tends to use his mid-range scoring more. This was the case during his career-best performance against Victor Wembanayama and Spurs as Ant had eight medium tries.

Last year, Edwards became one of the top 3-point shooters in the league, leading the league in triples made and attempted. He has backed up this jump by shooting 41.8 percent from beyond the arc on 8.4 attempts per game.

Given Edwards’ truly elite scoring at three levels, there was no stopping him in the playoffs. Despite his young age, Ant is already one of the most proven play-off players in the league. Now it’s reasonable to expect him to reach a new level in the playoffs, and that’s a scary window for the rest of the league.

On paper, you might think that doubling down or trapping Edwards could be the recipe for success against him. However, I don’t see this as a solution. Yes, Edwards hasn’t made a leap as a playmaker, but he makes quicker decisions, and his growth as a scorer helps him tackle tough defensive schemes.

Defensively, Edwards is inconsistent, but in high-leverage situations he has proven to be a high-level defender, especially on the ball.

Ultimately, Edwards may be unstoppable in a playoff situation. That’s a wonderful thought for Timberwolves fans, but a terrifying one for the rest of the league.