The Minnesota Timberwolves have established themselves as one of the most resilient teams in the Western Conference over the past two seasons. Despite the challenges and injury woes they’ve faced, the team consistently elevates its performance in the postseason, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025. More impressively, they eliminated some of the biggest names in the NBA — such as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic.

However, for all their progress and resilience in the earlier rounds, the Wolves’ trajectory has appeared to stall at the final step, right before the NBA Finals, managing just one win each time out. For Pau Gasol, the key to breaking through lies squarely with Anthony Edwards, who the Spaniard believes must take on a greater role as the team’s leader.

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Gasol wants Edwards to improve

While Minnesota’s playoff resilience despite being reckoned as the underdog is commendable, their inability to push past the Western Conference Finals is telling. Many people still felt they could give the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder a good fight, but they faltered pretty easily in both seasons.

Thus, according to Gasol, the Timberwolves cannot solely rely on team chemistry; instead, they need Edwards to elevate his game in terms of production and as a leader on and off the court. Anthony needs to do that by holding his teammates more accountable if this team is to take the ultimate step of reaching the Finals.

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The Timberwolves do not lack for talent around Ant-Man. With Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert providing strength in the frontcourt and quality role players such as Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels, the roster is deeper and more balanced than in past years. However, as Gasol sees it, the difference between being a strong playoff team and a legitimate championship contender lies in Edwards’ growth.

“I think you gotta start the season with the right mindset. Obviously, you want to get to the conference finals, but ultimately, you gotta desire and act every single day that you gonna win the championship. It starts with your top player, it starts with Anthony Edwards,” Gasol said. “Ant? I love his confidence, I love his swagger; he can play like anybody out there, but he has to do it every single night. He has to lead this team in a way that he carries everybody over. Obviously, they have a tough task.”

Edwards needs to elevate his game one more step

The key to the Timberwolves’ rise to the top of the West, when the talent pool has increased so significantly, lies in Edwards making a giant leap. For him, it is about leading the team in scoring or any other statistical category and being able to do it night in and night out without exception, as players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Nikola Jokic do.

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Gasol visualizes that kind of transformation as what will finally allow Minnesota to push past its Western Conference Finals barrier. The level of competition is undeniably high this time around, and for the Wolves to have any relevance, their No.1 player needs to have a more mature approach to the game and his craft.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.