SUMMARY
- Anthony Edwards may lose his comparisons to Michael Jordan if the Timberwolves get swept by the Mavericks.
- However, MJ has also faced similar struggles during his career including a first-round sweep in 1986.
Anthony Edwards has been through some major ups and downs in this year’s playoffs. He had a great start to the postseason by dominating the Phoenix Suns in a 4-0 sweep. It was probably liberating to have defeated the very individual who inspired him to play the sport of basketball. The 22-year-old led the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Denver Nuggets in a seven-game series. And based on his abilities and dominance, fans began comparing him to Michael Jordan.
”I never think the sky is falling. I’m always positive. I’m always happy. I’ve been through the worst, so the sky is never falling for me.”
Anthony Edwards on his positive mindset 🙌pic.twitter.com/9JUZmJIMMY
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 27, 2024
But the Western Conference Finals series is probably the weakest the Timberwolves have ever looked this season. They are currently down 3-0 against the Dallas Mavericks, who are favorites to close out the series in Game 4. But before fans decide to take their comparisons, Jordan himself has faced numerous difficulties throughout his career, especially during his initial playoff runs.
Michael Jordan’s unfortunate series sweep in 1986
People tend to forget the time Michael Jordan got swept in the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in 1986. The Chicago Bulls legend has had such a great post-season record that nobody remembers the time Jordan genuinely struggled to overthrow Larry Bird and the Celtics. During the 1985-86 season, Jordan broke his foot and missed 64 games as a result. However, he returned just in time to close out the regular season and help the Bulls get into the playoffs.
Even though the Bulls had only 30 wins that year, they somehow got themselves into the first round, but they got swept in three games. During that series, Jordan ranked up a historic 63-point performance, which was the most points scored in a single playoff game. This record still stands strong to this date. However, that doesn’t put off the fact that Jordan averaged career numbers and still got swept. Keep in mind that he was only in his second year as an NBA player.
Anthony Edwards has enough time to elevate his status in the league
So yes, Michael Jordan faced a lot of adversity which eventually helped him bounce back to the top. Those initial years before he went on to win six titles were quite challenging. Similarly, even Anthony Edwards started his career on a weaker Timberwolves team. They could make it past round one in his first two playoff appearances. He also missed the post-season during his rookie year as well. Jordan didn’t make it past the first round three years into his post-season career.
ANTHONY EDWARDS OH MY GOODNESS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fMzFuoIHRc
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 27, 2024
This Timberwolves team is inevitably going to lose against the Mavericks even if they avoid a sweep. However, they have great potential to work with in the future. They may not be the toughest team right now due to their lack of experience. However, they will walk away with a lot of knowledge on how to tackle various post-season scenarios. As for Edwards, he’s only 22. The shooting guard still has time to gain status in the league or possibly become one of the GOATs too.
