With just over three minutes left in overtime, two star players converged at the top of the 3-point arc, locking eyes in a high-stakes showdown. Jayson Tatum had the ball in his hands for the Boston Celtics, with the clock ticking down. The Celtics held a precarious two-point lead, and Tatum was determined to secure their status as the last unbeaten team in the league.

Anthony Edwards stood as the last line of defense, ready to go toe-to-toe with one of the league’s best one-on-one scorers. Crouching with knees bent, arms flexed, and jaw locked, Edwards had no room for second thoughts, even though he was carrying five fouls and facing a master foul-drawer.

Edwards had a score to settle, recalling, “He got the stop on me at the end of regulation, and he was talkin’ smack at the jump ball in overtime. I told him, ‘I’m comin’ again.'”

However, the transformation in Minnesota at the start of this season seems to stem from more than Edwards’ scoring prowess, although it was undeniably spectacular on that Monday night against the rugged Celtics. The emerging identity of this new Timberwolves team revolves around their defensive prowess, making them a force to be reckoned with. This is where Edwards had to shine in that crucial moment.

Jayson Tatum had requested this matchup. He had hit two crucial free throws, giving the Celtics the lead, and now it was crunch time. Starting the possession with Timberwolves defensive stalwart Jaden McDaniels guarding him, Tatum called for an Al Horford screen to get switched onto Edwards. The young 22-year-old star of the Wolves knew precisely what was unfolding.

“He called me up for an ISO and tried to ISO me, and I’m like, ‘I play defense, I just got five fouls,’ know what I’m sayin’? So I had to show him I could play defense,” Edwards explained.