Anthony Edwards Named Finalist for NBA's Clutch Award
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has continued to elevate his game each season and become one of the league's most electrifying superstars.
Edwards took another step this season, being relied on heavily when it matters most and leading his team to the playoffs yet again.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards© Petre Thomas / Imagn Images
On Sunday, the NBA announced its finalists for each award.
Advertisement
Edwards was named a finalist for the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year, along with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
The Clutch Player of the Year (Jerry West Trophy) Award was handed out for the first time in 2023 to De'Aaron Fox and was awarded to Stephen Curry last season.
As the Timberwolves played in more "clutch" games than any other team this season, there was a ton of oppurtunity for their young superstar in these moments.
Edwards led the NBA in clutch points (defined as points scored during the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points) with 157, just one point more than Brunson.
Advertisement
While Edwards possessed the volume, his efficiency and record in these clutch moments were not great compared to the other finalists. He shot 49/115 (42.6%) in the clutch, and the Timberwolves were 19-23 in those games.
On the other hand, Brunson shot 52/101 (51.5%) in the clutch with a 17-11 team record in such games, and Jokic, who finished the regular season with 140 total clutch points, shot 50/89 (56.2%) from the field in the clutch and led Denver to a 19-14 record in those games.
Edwards has been unable to process fast enough when being doubled and make quick decisions in the clutch this season, leading to many tough contested shots, hence the field goal percentage.
Related: Anthony Edwards Responds To Being the Playoff Underdog Yet Again
Despite these efficiency numbers, Edwards was named a finalist and recognized as one of the three most clutch players in all of basketball this season.
Advertisement
He is also a premier candidate to make the All-NBA First or Second Team, which will be announced in the next few weeks, along with the rest of the awards.
The 23-year-old played 79 regular-season games, averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 45/40/84 shooting splits.
Edwards received one first-place vote for Clutch Player of the Year last season and now has a real opportunity to bring it home this year.
Related: How The Timberwolves Contributed To Michael Malone's Firing
Related: Anthony Edwards Finishes Season as NBA's Sole 3-Point Leader
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dick Vitale Predicts Winner of Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals
Dick Vitale Predicts Winner of Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Anticipation is high as the NBA Finals tip off Thursday night, with the Indiana Pacers set to face the league-best Oklahoma City Thunder, who finished the regular season with an impressive 68–14 record. Advertisement While the Thunder have continued their dominant run through the playoffs, the Pacers—who entered as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference—have carved out a Cinderella story of their own. They've notched multiple comeback wins and dispatched all three of their postseason opponents in six games or fewer. On Wednesday, ESPN released its full slate of Finals predictions, with 29 of 32 personalities picking the Thunder to win it all. Notably absent from the list was legendary commentator Dick Vitale, but he still shared his take on social media—revealing who he believes will capture their first NBA title between the Thunder and Pacers. "My VBDI says @okcthunder will win the 2025 @NBA championship in 6 games over @Pacers," Vitale posted. While Vitale is beloved by fans, not everyone shared his outlook on the series. Some supporters believe Indiana could continue its run and pull off a stunning upset. Advertisement "I'm gonna go veteran coaching that wins this than the players. Go PACERS," a fan said. "Sorry DickieV! Pacers in 6," another fan posted. Someone else added, "Awesome I don't even need to watch." One more fan commented, "Interesting prediction... Thunder in 6 could be a solid call." ESPN analyst Dick Vitale© Randy Sartin-Imagn Images The odds are certainly stacked against Indiana, who are led by All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and veteran forward Pascal Siakam. According to ESPN BET, the Thunder enter the series as heavy favorites at minus-700, backed by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a deep, balanced roster. Adding to the challenge for the Pacers, the Thunder won both regular-season matchups between the teams—both high-scoring affairs with each team eclipsing the 100-point mark. Advertisement Related: Charles Barkley Names Greatest Player in NBA History Without Hesitation This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pistons Named Threat to Land Grizzlies Forward in Free Agency
Pistons Named Threat to Land Grizzlies Forward in Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The NBA offseason is right around the corner and the Detroit Pistons are a team to monitor this summer as they try to upgrade their roster and build off their impressive season. Advertisement Detroit was able to finish sixth in the Eastern Conference this season and they gave the New York Knicks a fight in the first round before eventually falling in six games. Despite this, it was a successful season for the Pistons as they went from having the worst record in the NBA the prior two seasons to being a playoff team. Feb 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and forward Ausar Thompson (9) chat against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center. © Matt Marton-Imagn Images Now Detroit has some key decisions to make this summer as they look to build around their core of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. Of course, the Pistons could elect to make a trade for another star this offseason or they could just look to upgrade their rotation via trades and in free agency. Advertisement One player who has been linked to the Pistons is Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Grizzlies and other teams believe that the Pistons could be a threat to pursue Aldama this offseason. Aldama is a restricted free agent, which means that Memphis could match any offer he receives, though they may be willing to move on from him this summer if another team offers him too large of a contract, which Detroit could do. Detroit could be a perfect landing spot for Aldama as he would give them another big man and scorer who would likely come off the bench behind Tobias Harris. USA: Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) reacts after a three-point basket during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at FedExForum.© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images This season, the 24-year-old averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 48.3% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range. Advertisement Aldama was able to improve his numbers again this season as he continues to develop his game, especially on the offensive side and he could be a key piece off the bench for Detroit if they elect to pursue him this summer. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
SEC Powerhouse Lands 7-Foot-1 International Prospect
International players have made names for themselves in the NBA over the past few seasons, with most of the top players being from outside of the United States. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all from outside of the country are some of the best players in the league, with Jokic and Antetokounmpo both winning league MVP in the past, and all but Doncic are in the running for MVP this year. Advertisement International players are making the rise in college basketball, and the Texas Longhorns are the latest team to make an international addition. Under new head coach Sean Miller, they landed a 7-foot-1 British center Lewis Obiorah to be a developmental piece on his roster. Xavier Musketeers head coach Sean Hanisch-Imagn Images At just 19-years old, he will have some time to really develop into a solid center for the Longhorns, and can provide good minutes when needed. His potential exceeds just his height, as it is combined with a 7-foot-5 wingspan can be a true force in the front court in a difficult SEC conference. In his past season overseas, he averaged 10.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game, and looks to bring that skillset to the NCAA. Advertisement Obiorah joins a solid 2025 recruiting class with one incoming four-star freshman and five four-star transfers, as they look to improve on a First Four exit in the NCAA Tournament last season. This next season for Texas will be one to watch, as they will have to find replacements for Tre Johnson's scoring as he will likely be a top five-top ten pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. Related: Quinn Ewers Gets First Look at Official Dolphins Jersey Related: Texas Receives Huge Recruitment Update on 4-Star Safety
