Fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves had to wait 20 years between witnessing Kevin Garnett bring the Target Center to life in the Western Conference Finals in 2004 and now, when Anthony Edwards led the franchise to its first-ever consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals.
It may feel disappointing to lose Game 5 by 30 points and to be quickly eliminated 4-1 in their latest playoff series. Then again, for a Timberwolves franchise that's always been viewed as a laughingstock aside from the KG and Ant days, this time should be celebrated.
Yes, they lost by a wide margin. Yet, 26 other teams are in the same boat, and when the NBA Finals end, that number balloons to 29.
However, the Timberwolves do have something no other team can boast, a 23-year-old superstar who could be on the verge of going from a fringe MVP candidate to the face of the league.
Speaking shortly after the crushing defeat, Edwards displayed a level of humility that can rarely be seen when No. 5 is on the basketball court.
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Edwards' star shone brightest in the Timberwolves' Game 3 win, where he went off for 30 points, nine rebounds, and six assists to go with two steals.
But the last two games, both Timberwolves losses, showed how inconsistent the young All-Star can be, going 1-for-7 from distance in both games while averaging just 17.5 points. In other words, there's still work to be done.
As much flash as he has on and off the court, Edwards has proven to be a tireless worker who remains focused on sharpening his craft. He's already made back-to-back conference finals appearances, something Michael Jordan didn't accomplish until his fifth and sixth seasons when he was 25 and 26.
Guess what happened in his seventh? MJ finally won his first NBA championship at the age of 27. Edwards is about to enter his sixth season, and he'll be just 24 years old. He's on track to be an all-time great, but those conversations will fall on deaf ears without winning some hardware, and there's no better accomplishment than the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
After making back-to-back trips to the conference finals, could winning the NBA Finals be in store for the Timberwolves next season? They certainly have the right superstar in charge; now he just needs to put the work in, but that's what the summer is for.