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Austin Rivers Admits Anthony Edwards Needs More Support
Austin Rivers Admits Anthony Edwards Needs More Support originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Timberwolves have come close two years in a row. They lost in two consecutive Western Conference Finals, which should lead to more improvements to get over the hump. Advertisement Former Timberwolves player Austin Rivers have observed the team quite closely, so he has a good understanding of what makes the team work. He feels it is time for some big changes to help the team push forward. Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Success in the modern NBA requires depth and high-level athleticism. In the current Timberwolves squad, Edwards and Jaden McDaniels are high-level athletes, but the roster is slower than most teams. They are still quite talented, but they do not have the intangibles teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers have during their runs to the NBA Finals this season. Related: Chris Finch Admits The Timberwolves' 2024-25 Season Was A Modest Success Rivers Knows The Timberwolves Need To Support Edwards As a modern basketball mind, Rivers knows what it takes for teams to succeed. With what he has seen with the Timberwolves, he knows they will be a better team if they make improvements with their roster. Advertisement A big part of their success should involve a high-level playmaker alongside Edwards in the backcourt. Mike Conley Jr. is a fantastic player, but he is 37. He is not getting any younger, so the Timberwolves must make some big changes to the roster. They could promote Rob Dillingham to be the starting point guard, but that might be too fast, considering he had sporadic minutes during his rookie season. "You've gone to the Conference Finals two years in a row. Clearly, you have some good intel and a good team. You're just a piece or two away," Rivers said on his Off Guard show. "There needs to be another dominant ball-handler... At this point, they need to get a guard who can take the ball out of Ant's hands, and say 'Slow down,' and have that respect to create and dribble other than him. He needs one other guy." The Path For Improvement Is Clear For Minnesota The Timberwolves can make massive improvements to the team if they play their cards right. Of course, they must retain their important players like Naz Reid and Julius Randle, but there is room for upgrades for the point guard position. Advertisement Easing Dillingham into a prominent role is a good option, but looking for a high-level point guard can also be good. Dangling the chance to play alongside Anthony Edwards is a good way to convince more players because he has a good reputation as a teammate across the league. Making it into the Western Conference Finals in two consecutive years should elevate the Timberwolves' standards. They do not want to settle for second place in the West. The Timberwolves do not want to beat the Thunder, and that can be done by giving Edwards the secondary playmaker. It is unclear who that player will be, but that is team president Tim Connelly's job. If he can find the right answer, the Timberwolves are in good shape to compete for a championship. Advertisement Related: Jaden McDaniels Admits Rob Dillingham Will Improve in The 2025-26 Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
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Final Four: Basketball players including Austin Rivers react to Duke's collapse vs. Houston: 'Don't text me or call me'
Final Four: Basketball players including Austin Rivers react to Duke's collapse vs. Houston: 'Don't text me or call me' Houston's Final Four win over Duke Saturday night was one for the ages. Duke, a national title favorite led by a generational freshman talent in Cooper Flagg, appeared to be in full control against Houston with a berth in the national title game at stake. Advertisement But Duke scored just one field goal in the final 10:31 of the game and proceeded to blow a 59-45 lead. Houston then ended the game on a 9-0 run in the final 1:14 to secure a 70-67 win and an all-time collapse by a Duke team that was hoping to secure the program's sixth national title. With Duke being Duke — perhaps the most divisive program in college basketball — this certainly raised some reactions from the basketball world tuning in. Notably, former NBA and Duke player Austin Rivers chimed in. He was understandably displeased. Rivers first reacted to a foul on Cooper Flagg that helped set Houston up with late go-ahead free throws. When the game was over, Rivers wasn't interested in speaking with anyone. Rivers, of course, wasn't the only player who was watching and reacting to Saturday's game on social media. Several other current and former NBA players chimed in with reactions ranging from congratulations to Houston and head coach Kelvin Sampson to agreeing with Rivers to celebrating Duke's demise. At least one former North Carolina player, of course, reveled in the result.
