For years, coaches, analysts, and former players have been urging Anthony Edwards to attack the basket more often. They say his three-point shot should be a complimentary piece of his game, not his main scoring method. During his first four seasons, he has listened to these suggestions and has been aggressively attacking the paint for years. Combine that with his mid-range game, and you get a player that is expected to become one of the faces of the league very soon. Some have even dared to compare Edwards with the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan.
This season, however, Ant seems to be taking a different offensive approach. Everyone wants to see him drive and use his athleticism around the rim (especially the jaw-dropping dunks), but his offense has been incredible to start the season while playing with a much different style.
Is Anthony Edwards’ Rise in 3-Point Attempts a Good Thing?
Edwards’ three-point shot has been an effective weapon for most of his career. From the beginning, he has shown a talent for knocking down shots off the bounce, especially pull-up threes off of screens. Last year, 6.7 of his 19.7 field goal attempts per game were from beyond the arc, and during the playoffs, threes accounted for 7.2 of his 20.2 attempts. His three-point percentage was 35.7% during the regular season, and in the playoffs it was 40.0%. Considering that Edwards is known as a big guard and a major threat inside of the arc, those numbers were fairly impressive. In a season where nearly all his stats got better, though, his three-point percentage actually dropped by 1.2% compared to the previous season.
If you know Edwards at all, then you know he was probably unhappy about that regression. He worked tirelessly during the offseason to get better in every single area, but after watching the first few games of the season, it’s pretty clear what he wanted to improve on the most.
Edwards Has Been Aggressive From Beyond the Arc
In seven games this season, Edwards has attempted 80 threes. His total field goal attempts come out to 141 so far, meaning that just about 57% of his shots are from outside. Breaking it down a little more, 11.4 of his 20.1 attempts each game are three-pointers. Compare this to last year, and we can see that he is taking nearly five more threes than he did last year. Compare this to the rest of the league, and we can see that only Lamelo Ball and Jayson Tatum have taken as many threes as him.
The catch-and-shoot opportunities have been plentiful because of the defensive attention that Julius Randle has received since arriving in Minnesota. Also, teams have been trying to keep Edwards out of the paint. Consequently, that opens the door for him to create space off the dribble and take more threes. Creating his own offense is one of Ant’s primary talents, so he doesn’t lack the confidence needed to take difficult shots.
Efficiency Has Been Surprisingly Good
Despite the heightened number of attempts, Edwards has never been this efficient before. He is making 5.1 of his 11.4 attempts per contest, putting his three-point percentage at 45.0%. That is easily the best he has ever shot from outside, nearly a 10% jump from last year. Moreover, his overall field goal percentage sits at 46.8%, which is nearly identical to last year’s number. The point? Even though Edwards is taking (and making) a high volume of threes, it’s not preventing him from being an efficient scorer at all levels.
If the Timberwolves superstar can ramp up his efficiency inside the arc, then he could very well shoot 50% from the field and 40% from three. He is averaging 27.3 points per game, a career high, and if he can continue to shoot well from beyond the arc, he can be a top scorer in the league for the entire season.
Sustainability is not the question, though. It is whether or not the rise in three-point attempts is good for the Timberwolves.
Don’t Fix it If it Ain’t Broke
The above phrase is constantly brought up when it comes to questioning a player’s style. It could be the shooting form, an unorthodox ball handling package, or a coaching decision. It may be unusual, but if it’s working, why should anything change?
Of course, the high volume of triples could easily open up his inside game. It’s one thing to respect a shooter, but it’s another thing to avoid letting him shoot at all costs. If defenders have to take away his outside shot, then he’ll have plenty more opportunities to attack the basket.
Is Edwards “broke” for taking a lot of threes if he’s making them? Absolutely not. If he were missing, then it would be a different story. However, he is making them. Therefore, he should keep shooting.
