The Minnesota Timberwolves faced a tough defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing 114-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Despite this setback, Anthony Edwards remains optimistic. The Timberwolves struggled in the second half, being outscored by 30 points. Edwards scored only five of his 18 points after halftime, shooting 5-for-13 overall.Edwards expressed confidence in his ability to improve his performance. "I feel great," he stated, according to ESPN. He acknowledged the need to shoot more and adapt his playstyle. "Probably just need to get off the ball a little more, play without the ball," he added. Edwards plans to review game footage to identify areas for improvement.Julius Randle was the top scorer for the Timberwolves with 28 points, although he only managed eight points after halftime and none from three-point range. In the first half, Randle had an impressive 5-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc.Despite their loss, Edwards believes that their first-half performance showed promise. The Timberwolves led 48-44 at halftime. "We proved that we can do it," Edwards said. However, he emphasized the importance of maintaining that level throughout the entire game against a strong team like Oklahoma City.Coach Chris Finch offered a critical assessment of their performance, highlighting missed opportunities and late passes as areas needing improvement. "Sometimes we weren't quite shot-ready," Finch noted. He also took responsibility for not involving Randle more in the second half.Finch acknowledged that they had several good scoring chances but failed to capitalize when momentum shifted against them. "I did think we got a number of really good looks and couldn't connect when the game was turning against us," he explained.

Looking Ahead to Game 2

As they prepare for Game 2, Edwards and his teammates aim to build on their first-half success from Game 1. They recognize the challenge posed by Oklahoma City but remain determined to prove themselves once again on Thursday. The Timberwolves are focused on refining their strategy and execution as they look forward to bouncing back in Game 2 of the series.