Anthony Edwards had the look. That’s what Minnesota will remember.

Down three with 9.2 seconds left in overtime, LaMelo Ball missed two free throws. Edwards grabbed the rebound and got a wide-open three from the top of the key to tie the game. After everything he’d done to keep the Wolves alive, it felt like the shot had to fall.

It didn’t.

Peyton Watson went down to the other end and made his two free throws. Edwards ended up knocking down one last three at the buzzer, but it was too little, too late. Cleveland escaped with a 127–125 win.

It was a brutal ending for Edwards, but it also showed us where both teams are in the season’s first week. Minnesota has a backcourt that can turn any game into a highlight reel, even if they're still figuring out when to slow things down. Cleveland has plenty to sort out, too, but on Monday, they got just enough to get the job done.

Edwards Has the Firepower, but Minnesota's Still Finding Their Balance

The Wolves came in 3–0, having won each of their first three games by more than 20. They were playing the second night of a back-to-back, and Edwards had been questionable with a right-knee issue. You wouldn’t have known it once he started getting downhill. He had 20 by halftime and Cleveland was struggling to figure out where the next attack was coming from.

That’s the fun of Edwards next to Ball. LaMelo can see a pass before the defense even realizes it’s there; early on, he floated an alley-oop to Jonathan Kuminga that made the pairing look every bit as entertaining as advertised. With Ball around, Edwards can spend more time hunting his shot instead of having to organize every possession. After Minnesota gave up Naz Reid and Julius Randle to reshape the roster, that’s supposed to be the payoff.

Edwards certainly did his part. His 47 points came on 19-of-33 shooting. In the second half, he kept finding room inside and rising to hit a mid-range before Cleveland could push him all the way to the rim. There’s something especially nasty about that version of Ant: the burst is still there, but he doesn’t have to empty the tank on every trip. When the game tightened up, he could get to a spot he liked and make the defense live with it.

Ball’s night was harder to love. He finished with 11 points and six assists, but he also turned it over seven times. The missed free throws were the loudest mistakes because they came at the end. But the loose possessions before them might've been more important. I love the ambition in his game, I’m just not sure how much chaos a team can carry into a playoff series and still call it an advantage.

That’s a question for April, but Monday gave Minnesota an early taste of it.

Cleveland’s Depth and Mitchell’s Touch Turned the Game

Cleveland had to dig out of a 15-point hole before any of those mistakes the Wolves were making could matter. James Harden was rough in the first half, then scored eight points during a 12–0 third-quarter run that pulled the Cavs back into it. The teams were tied at 86 heading into the fourth. Later, Harden’s little floater tied it at 113 with 10.4 seconds left in regulation and send it to overtime.

I’m still not convinced Harden's the running mate who gets Donovan Mitchell where Cleveland wants to go. After the Cavs were swept in last spring’s East finals, that’s a fair question to keep asking. Monday didn’t answer it. It did make one thing pretty clear: Cleveland doesn’t win without Harden’s second half. He finished with 19 points and nine assists, then knocked down two free throws with 13 seconds left in overtime to set up that final scramble.

The help didn’t stop there. Rookie Meleek Thomas scored 16 in his NBA debut, giving Cleveland a badly needed jolt when the Cavs were struggling. Watson added 15 points and four blocks. Evan Mobley hit some timely threes, including one to open overtime. His outside shot is worth keeping an eye on all season: He made 37% of his threes two seasons ago, then dipped to 29.7% last season. When he’s a real threat out there, Cleveland’s offense has room to breathe.

Mitchell was the one who connected it all though. His game is so quick and smooth that the biggest shots can look almost casual. He scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, then answered an Edwards three that tied it at 121 with a fadeaway jumper that put Cleveland ahead for good.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.

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