Taking a look at the best individual playoff performances in Minnesota’s franchise history.
Anthony Edwards, 44 points (2024 Semifinals, Game 4)
Anthony Edwards holds the top spot in Minnesota’s franchise playoff history with 44 points in Game 4 of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals. He played 45 minutes in the 115-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets, sinking 16 of his 25 field goal attempts with 5 made 3s (on 8 attempts), and went 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Edwards did a bit of everything in this game for the Timberwolves, finishing with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block. Minnesota would go on to win the series in Game 7 on the road after being down 3-2.
Anthony Edwards, 43 points (2024 Semifinals, Game 1)
Anthony put on a show in the opening game against the Nuggets last May, just eight days before putting up a 44-piece in Game 4. He went off with 43 points on 17-for-29 shooting (3-7 3PT, 6-6 FT) in 42 minutes to lead the Wolves to a 106-99 win. Edwards added 7 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 2 blocks while only turning it over once. Over 16 appearances in the 2023-24 Playoffs, Ant averaged 27.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 40.6 minutes. He led his squad to the 4-3 series win over the defending champion Nuggets, but Minnesota would go on to lose 4-1 in the Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
Anthony Edwards, 41 points (2023 First Round, Game 2)
Edwards’ 41 points in Game 2 of the first-round series with Denver in 2023 was the best individual performance in Minnesota’s history for a little over a year. After a rough outing in the series-opening loss where Ant went for 18 points on 6-for-15 shooting, he responded with 41 points on 14-for-23 from the field with 6 made 3s, 2 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks in 42 minutes. At just 21 years old, he averaged 31.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.0 blocks across five games during the 2022-23 Playoffs.
Sam Cassell, 40 points (2004 First Round, Game 1)
Cassell only played two seasons with the Timberwolves in his 15-year career, but it only took one postseason for him to take the next two spots on this list. Despite never averaging more than 20 points per game in the regular season or the playoffs, Cassell’s 40 points to open the first round against Denver matched his overall career-high at age 34. He played almost 42 minutes while shooting 16-for-24 from the field with 5 made 3s and a perfect 3-for-3 at the charity stripe. He added 3 rebounds and 3 assists in the 106-92 victory in Game 1, and Minnesota would eventually take the series 4-1.
Sam Cassell, 40 points (2004 Semifinals, Game 1)
A few weeks after dropping 40 points on the Nuggets, Cassell erupted for another 40-piece on 15-for-25 shooting in a 104-98 loss to the Kings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. He knocked down 7 of his 11 attempts from 3-point range, made all 3 of his free-throws, and chipped in 3 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal in 43 minutes. Minnesota fought and scrapped their way to a 4-3 series win in seven games over Sacramento. Cassell averaged 16.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 16 postseason appearances in 2003-04 while hitting on 41.7% of his 3.8 3-point attempts per game. ‘Sam I Am’ scored a career-best 19.8 PPG during the regular season for the Timberwolves, earning the only All-Star and All-NBA (2nd Team) selections of his 15 seasons.
