NBA report says Anthony Edwards wasn’t fouled on late-game dunk
Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on November 26, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) ((Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-101 Monday night in a battle of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 27 points, and made a few headlines after the win. With 1:57 left in regulation, he drove the lane and dunked on Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who very clearly grabs Edwards’ left arm with his right hand. Edwards was irate with the officials after the play, screaming for a foul to be called.
He had some thoughts on the officials after the game, too. The Timberwolves were 13-of-15 at the free-throw line Monday night. Gilgeous-Alexander by himself was 15-of-16. That’s right, he made as many free throws as Minnesota attempted.
"Cheating a** refs," Edwards shouted as he celebrated with Rudy Gobert postgame. "I don’t know, I don’t know and I’m going to take the fine because the refs did not give us no calls tonight. We had to play through every bump, every grab, I don’t know. I don’t know how we won tonight, big shout-out to my team."
The NBA’s last two-minute report of Monday’s game disagrees with Edwards, saying a no-call was the correct call. The league says Gilgeous-Alexander does hit Edwards’ arm, but it’s "marginal contact" and not worthy of a foul.
At the end of the day, the two-minute report means nothing as it can’t change the call in-game. But it’s another failed opportunity for the NBA to hold it’s officials accountable for a bad no-call. And Edwards likely will be fined by the NBA for his comments.