Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards goes next level with Karl-Anthony Towns injured

SALT LAKE CITY – With his 31 points in Saturday’s 119-100 Timberwolves victory over Utah, Anthony Edwards passed Kevin Love for first place in franchise history when it comes to the most games of scoring 30 or more points in a season with 26.

As point guard Mike Conley heard that statistic after the game, he asked someone nearby, “Did you tell him that?” hoping the answer was no, because it might give the loquacious Edwards a reason to talk even more.

Unfortunately for Conley, Edwards already knew. But that didn’t stop Conley from heaping praise on Edwards for the season the 22-year-old guard has had.

At this point, it might be easy to take for granted the kind of production the Wolves are getting from Edwards each game. After all, he has signed a maximum five-year contract set to kick in next year, and he will be making the money commensurate with how he’s played the first four years of his career. But for a franchise that hasn’t seen many transcendent players, it’s easy to expect nights such as Saturday from Edwards (31 points, 10 rebounds and five assists) without fully appreciating them.

The Wolves didn’t have centers Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert, and they still won easily because Edwards was the best player on the floor. Minnesota wraps up a six-game road trip Monday night with a rematch against the Jazz in Salt Lake City at 8 p.m.

”He’s been special, honestly,” Conley said. “He really has. Just seeing him develop as the season has gone on has been amazing. [Saturday], he made a bunch of plays that normally he wouldn’t make in the first part of the year. He’s continually working. Continually trying to do the right things on the off days, the practice days and when people aren’t watching and that’s what I love about him — he’ll continue to work. Hopefully he keeps setting records.”

When asked about his accomplishment, Edwards gave the sound bite fans might hope for in a situation like this, that the individual record didn’t really matter unless team success came with it.

”That’s dope, but it don’t mean anything,” Edwards said. “Especially if we don’t do nothing at the end of the postseason. That’s what we working towards right now.”

Whether on purpose or subconsciously, it seems like Edwards has kicked his game up a notch in the five games the Wolves have now played without Towns, who had knee surgery Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus. This is what happened last year when Towns went down — Edwards took on a greater share of the offensive responsibilities, elevated his game and became an All-Star for the first time. He said he hasn’t been doing too much differently, even if performances such as his game against Indiana — when he scored 44 points and had a game-sealing acrobatic block — beg to differ.

”Somebody’s gonna step up every night,” Edwards said. “It may look like me, but I feel like I play like this when [Towns is] on the floor. But somebody is gonna step up. Tonight it was Mike. Last game it was Nickeil [Alexander-Walker]. The game before that it was Naz [Reid], twice. Somebody is always gonna step up. So I feel no pressure as far as taking what he does on the court.”

But the 31.2 points per game he has averaged since Towns went out would rank third in the league if he did it for an entire season. Without Towns on the floor, it removes any ambiguity of who might be the focal point of the offense, and Edwards is being aggressive early and often as a result. That could lead to fatigue and some wear and tear, especially as the Wolves ask him to also guard at a high level on defense. But at this point in the season, and given his age, anything is possible for the budding star.

”He’s an All-Star,” Reid said. “That’s just what it is. Speaks for itself. Works out, he’s in the gym every day, grinding. He’s a heck of a player.”

Injuries: Wolves C Rudy Gobert (rib), F Kyle Anderson (shoulder) and G Monte Morris (hamstring strain) are listed as questionable. For the Jazz, F Lauri Markkanen (quad) is questionable and G Jordan Clarkson (groin) is out.