Anthony Edwards Sends Blunt Message to Stephen Curry

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.

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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.”

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Anthony Edwards Dominates in Curry’s Absence

While Curry watched, Edwards put on the type of show that has increasingly placed him among the NBA’s brightest young stars.

The 24-year-old finished with 42 points on efficient shooting, knocking down 4 of 9 from beyond the arc while adding eight rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.

The performance snapped Minnesota’s two-game losing skid and reinforced Edwards’ reputation as one of the league’s most electric competitors.

Ironically, Edwards himself appeared on the injury report just hours before tip-off and was briefly listed as questionable. But the chance to play in Curry’s arena — even with the Warriors legend sidelined — was too appealing.

“I mean, we played together at [Team] USA, so learning from him and stuff,” Edwards said. “So it was fun.”

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Edwards Shares Curry Story From Team USA

Despite the trash talk, Edwards’ respect for Curry runs deep.

The two shared time with Team USA, where Edwards said he gained a glimpse into Curry’s personality away from the court.

“I mean, he’s super cool,” Edwards said. “He actually doesn’t know a lot of rap music. I think that’s the best thing that I learned about him. Like the USA team was playing — I think it was BossManDlow — and he’s like, ‘Who is that?’”

The revelation drew laughs from reporters.

When asked if he tried to introduce Curry to more music, Edwards shrugged.

“I just be myself. He be himself,” Edwards said. “I feel like that’s why we get along so well.”

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Warriors Feeling Curry’s Absence More Each Night

On Friday night, the contrast between the two stars was impossible to ignore.

Edwards was flying up and down the court, igniting the Timberwolves’ offense and energizing the crowd with his signature swagger.

Curry, meanwhile, remained on the sideline — shaking his head as Minnesota’s rising superstar took over the game.

For a Warriors team fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive, the difference between those two realities has become painfully clear.

Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo