Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels shine during introduction to playoff spotlight

MEMPHIS – Before Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Grizzlies series, D'Angelo Russell discussed how he wasn't quite focused for his first playoff series when he played for Brooklyn.

"Last time I was there it was more of, 'Wow I'm here. This is what dream of, this is what you watch on TV,' " Russell said. "It's more of that rookie feeling of being in the league and still being a fan of these guys. That playoff series felt like I was still in awe."

This was a question coming in for a lot of Russell's Wolves teammates — how would they do in their first playoff experience? In the case of Anthony Edwards, he did more than OK.

Edwards made Saturday seem like just another game with 36 points.

"I treat every game the same," he said. "I didn't feel any different. Like a regular-season game to me."

Edwards had an answer for everything the Grizzlies threw at him, whether they were trying to blitz him on screens or not. Throughout the season, Edwards has had to navigate increased attention from defenses, and it's a process he has had to work through with his player development coach Chris Hines and coach Chris Finch.

Edwards has had to fight off some of his natural tendencies to try and force his way through a defense and make smarter plays, make better reads.

"Just taking what the defense gives me," Edwards said. "If they give me the right hand, go right. If they give me the left hand, go left. If they give me the catch-and-shoot, shoot it. Whatever they giving me, I'm trying to take it. I feel like I've been doing a great job with that."

Finch said Edwards is in "a real great groove right now."

"Everything he's doing is really definitive," Finch said. "He's being sharp. He's getting into his stuff quick. He's making the right reads more often than not and he's really confident in his shot."

Finch said the quickness with which he makes decisions has been one of Edwards' biggest adjustments. That has allowed him to stay a step ahead of defenses.

"He's seen a lot of looks all season long. I think he's comfortable with a lot more things that he's seeing out there," Finch said. "I think a lot of it is just he's just going quicker. He's doing everything without holding and surveying as much. He's going. That's a sign of really trusting your own talent."

Saturday also marked Jaden McDaniels' first playoff game, and McDaniels looked like he had been there before in scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds. He tried his best not to let the moment get to him.

"I just tried to keep it in, not to let it mess with my game," McDaniels said. "Just kind of staying humble about it, knowing this was my first playoff game and continuing to be humble about it.

"There are going to be many more games and we will continue to try to get to the playoffs in many more years."

McDaniels and Edwards looked like they had already been there in previous years.

Two Memphis television stations reported Sunday that a member of the Timberwolves traveling party had been robbed Saturday night.