Anthony Edwards has never hidden his admiration for Stephen Curry.
But admiration didn’t stop the charismatic Minnesota Timberwolves star from delivering a loud reminder of what the Golden State Warriors are missing.
With Curry sidelined again on Friday night, Edwards erupted for 42 points and led Minnesota to a 127-117 victory in San Francisco. After draining a corner three during the third quarter to stretch the Timberwolves’ lead to 62-46, Edwards looked toward the Warriors’ bench — where Curry could only watch.
That’s my boy,” Edwards said afterward. “Love Steph. Love everything about him. To me, the greatest point guard. Love to play against him. If he’s not playing, talk a little trash to him on the side.”
For Golden State, the absence of its franchise superstar continues to loom large.
The loss marked the Warriors’ fourth straight defeat and dropped them to 5-11 since Curry went down with patellofemoral pain syndrome — commonly known as “runner’s knee” — along with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Warriors’ Playoff Position Slipping Without Curry
The slide has begun to threaten Golden State’s postseason hopes.
With just 16 games remaining, the Warriors now sit only half a game ahead of the 10th-place Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference standings. The uncertainty surrounding Curry’s recovery has only added to the tension.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged earlier this week that the two-time MVP has struggled emotionally with the prolonged absence.
“He wants to be out there for his guys, and that’s obviously been an injury that’s lasted a lot longer than anyone thought it would,” Kerr said in a radio interview with 95.7 The Game before Friday’s game. “He’s dying to be out there.”
Still, Golden State’s front office has remained cautious.
The team recently announced Curry will miss at least five additional games — including Friday’s matchup with Edwards and the Timberwolves — as they prioritize a full recovery.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors are looking beyond this season when making decisions about Curry’s health
Next season has become ‘the’ season in this final Steph era, and I don’t think at all they want to jeopardize that,” Slater said on The Hoop Collective podcast. “This is, from what I’ve gathered, an injury that they fear — if you put him back on the court and he’s not quite ready, it could reinjure or reaggravate.”