NBA: Anthony Edwards gets best of ‘favorite player’ Kevin Durant

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates toward Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards drained a 3-pointer from the wing in a dominant third quarter for the Minnesota Timberwolves, nodding his head as he barked and stared at Kevin Durant on the retreat up the court.

Durant could only grin.

The young star had gotten the best of the all-time great with 10 points in a five-possession spurt as the Timberwolves closed the period on a 19-4 run for a 20-point lead on the way to a 120-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their NBA first-round playoff series Saturday.

READ: Timberwolves take down Suns in Game 1 behind Anthony Edwards

"Everybody knows that's my favorite player of all time…"

Ant expresses his respect for KD after their Game 1 battle 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/UT8Q1PYZBP

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2024

Edwards had 18 points in that egregious third quarter. He finished with 33 points — and a lifelong memory. After making a turnaround fadeaway and another mid-range step-back, Edwards drained two 3-pointers in that stretch. He tossed a little bit of good-natured trash talk toward Durant in the process.

“That’s my favorite player of all time, so that was probably one of the best feelings ever in my whole life, for sure,” Edwards said.

Durant, the 35-year-old, 14-time All-Star with two championship rings, countless awards and what would appear a spot one day in the Hall of Fame, was every bit as impactful for the Suns with 31 points on 11-for-17 shooting.

Ant and KD went to BATTLE with the Timberwolves pulling out the Game 1 win.

Ant: 33 PTS, 4 3PM, 9 REB, 6 AST
KD: 31 PTS, 7 REB pic.twitter.com/GHVnRUMsy5

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2024

“He made like four or five straight buckets like it was nothing. And I became a fan at one point,” Edwards said. “There was nothing we could do.”

The Suns felt the same way about the 22-year-old Edwards, who will play for Team USA this summer at the Paris Olympics and is fast becoming one of the faces of the league himself.

“He got his rhythm. He was able to hit a few,” Durant said. “He’s seen a couple tough ones go in. Now he’s got confidence. He’s always had confidence as a player.”

Durant was hardly offended by the audaciousness.

“That’s just hoops. You get hot, you make shots, you make tough shots, you’re going to feel excited about yourself, so it’s on me to keep coming back and show him a tough look,” Durant said. “He made some tough ones. You’ve just got to live with it and move on to the next game.”