Part of what makes Anthony Edwards so special and magnetic is his confidence. The Minnesota Timberwolves star will talk himself and his teammates up every chance he gets. But that overconfidence comes with a price. Namely, when the opposing team’s stars take notice and use the trash talk as motivation.
That’s what the Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving did during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
After the Timberwolves star confidently said he “had Kyrie” before the series started, the veteran Irving took it as warranted bulletin board material. He channeled that energy into relentlessly attacking Edwards all night on Wednesday, dropping 30 points on 12-of-23 shooting to help Dallas take a 1-0 series lead.
When the Inside the NBA crew asked Irving about Edwards’ trash talk, he revealed that he wanted to make Edwards regret his brashness:
The 'Inside the NBA' crew asks Kyrie Irving about Anthony Edwards' challenge to him as only they can. pic.twitter.com/SxSqlrlkIe
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 23, 2024
That’s the perfect way to respond to anyone’s trash talk. Not by coming back with sharp words but by doing it with your play in a big spot.
Edwards shouldn’t necessarily regret coming at Irving, but it should make him think twice about giving the Mavericks’ guard more fuel to his fire.
