Although the Minnesota Timberwolves got a big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, Anthony Edwards felt his team was playing at a disadvantage because of the way the referees called the game.
Speaking to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon after the win, Edwards lashed out at the uninvited.
“The referees were wrong tonight. Yes, they were terrible,” he said. “We were betting 8 against 5. . . ” The cat got his tongue tonight, so it’s all good. It’s not fair, but it’s all good. “
One of Edwards’ main sources of frustration came late in the fourth quarter when he passed several Thunder finishers for a dunk that gave Minnesota a 101-97 lead. He pointed to his left wrist at the end of the play and looked at the referee to imply that he thought he had been fouled.
PAY RESPECT TO Æ5 https://t. co/QjsDOc4PRx pic. twitter. com/0KB78fCV7p
Edwards went on to say that the Timberwolves “didn’t get any penalties as a team,” but that “as soon as they come down from Oklahoma City and get ejected, it’s a foul. “
There isn’t a huge disparity in loose shots between the two teams. The Thunder made 17 of 22 attempts, while the Timberwolves made thirteen of 15 attempts. Minnesota was penalized for just two more nonpublic fouls than Oklahoma City (19-17). .
Despite Edwards’ frustration, he managed to stay calm throughout the match. He led the T-Wolves with 27 problems on 10-of-20 shooting in 40 minutes. His postgame comments about officiating will likely result in a fine from the NBA.
Minnesota has won three of its last four games and remains in first place in the Western Conference with a 33-14 record. The team will open a three-game homestand on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks.