The Minnesota Timberwolves haven't missed a beat without their best player, and veteran Kyle Anderson knows exactly why.
Speaking at Timberwolves practice this week, Anderson addressed how the team has managed to stay competitive while Anthony Edwards recovers from right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome that has kept him sidelined for six straight games.
Anderson didn't overthink it when asked about the team's approach without their franchise cornerstone.
"I would say yeah, guys try to pick up the slack in areas that they can control and that may lead to, just us playing better defense and things like that, but Ant's obviously a great defender himself," Anderson said. "We miss him out there."
The Wolves Keep Winning
What makes Anderson's comments interesting is the context behind them.
Minnesota has gone 4-1 during this most recent stretch without Edwards, including a gutsy overtime win over the Houston Rockets and a road victory in Boston that snapped a two-decade losing streak at TD Garden.
And on the season as a whole, the Timberwolves are 10-5 without Edwards in the lineup, which is a pretty telling number for a team that relies so heavily on one guy's scoring.
They currently sit at 45-28, good for the fifth seed in a loaded Western Conference.
Edwards has been having the best year of his career when healthy, averaging 29.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from three in 58 games.
Those are legitimately elite numbers, third in the league in scoring behind only Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
But the Timberwolves have shown they can survive when he's not available, and a lot of that comes down to guys like Anderson buying into the defensive identity that Chris Finch has built.
Anderson's Return Adds Depth
Anderson's return to Minnesota has been one of the quieter but more impactful moves of the season.
After bouncing around from the Jazz to the Grizzlies earlier this year, Anderson signed with the Wolves on March 2 following a buyout from Memphis, and the familiarity has helped him settle in quickly.
He previously spent two seasons in Minnesota and was a key piece of the roster that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2024, so the relationships with guys like Naz Reid and the coaching staff were already there.
In 11 games since rejoining the team, Anderson has averaged around 17 minutes per game and has provided exactly what Finch needed off the bench.
He's not going to fill up the stat sheet, but his passing, defensive versatility, and overall feel for the game give Minnesota a calming presence in their second unit that they were missing earlier in the year.
The whole thing comes at a good time too, because with Edwards sidelined and Jaden McDaniels also dealing with knee soreness, Anderson's veteran leadership and ability to play multiple positions have been especially valuable.
The Timberwolves are hoping Edwards can return as early as Monday's game in Dallas, but even if it takes a few more days, the team has proven it can hold things together.
And as Anderson put it, everyone is just trying to pick up the slack however they can.