Frustration was evident on Anthony Edwards’ face after the Minnesota Timberwolves fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 103-116 on Sunday. The All-Star guard didn’t dodge responsibility for the defeat, but he also had a clear message for teammate Julius Randle. Edwards was quick to shoulder the blame for Minnesota’s struggles, yet he singled out Randle’s effort as one of the few bright spots of the night.

Edwards wasn’t looking to praise anybody, including himself, tonight. But the Wolves ace made that exception. “Key for us yeah, more so. Not him, but more so for us. If he can find a balance, but he did great tonight,” Edwards told reporters. Randle’s explosion came alongside a period of Timberwolves dominance.

Randle certainly did his part. The veteran forward dominated physically against Oklahoma City, pouring in 32 points (11-18 FG, 3-5 3P) with seven rebounds and six assists. Twenty-one of those points came during the second and third quarters, when Minnesota briefly seized control of the game.

The former Knicks forward wasn’t just scoring. Julius Randle also openly accepted the task of guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander alongside Edwards. Until a few consecutive makes in the final quarter, SGA was having his worst shooting performance of the night – finishing 7-of-22 from the field (31.8%), including 2-of-4 from three, for 20 points to go with 10 assists, but Randle’s aggression helped limit him early.

It was particularly important for Randle to be this aggressive, as the shots just weren’t falling for Anthony Edwards.

There have been times the Timberwolves fail to produce anything when Edwards isn’t rolling. Hence, it was a relief to see that Randle is still capable of putting the team on his back. The result didn’t go their way.

However, it’s been that kind of stretch for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’ve not only lost, but dropped games by big margins. They only looked to be back to their best when Julius Randle conducted the proceedings. This game should boost Randle’s confidence.

He’s been brilliant for the Timberwolves this season, but such a performance helps create a vast advantage. The only way to lose was by making mistake after mistake.

Minnesota Timberwolves couldn’t protect the ball

Teams have struggled to keep the ball against the Thunder’s intensity. Their highly mobile, disruptive nature caught the Timberwolves off guard. The Wolves committed 22 turnovers (totaling 25) against just 18 assists, and Oklahoma City capitalized with 29 points off those turnovers, directly swinging momentum.

Their offensive woes continue to hamper the team’s potential this year. But their success also relies on Anthony Edwards’ impact on the game. It wasn’t a whole lot tonight. Edwards scored 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting (with 2-of-5 from three), adding five assists but turning the ball over six times – the most from any player on the floor.

Ant also made many mistakes, which is why Edwards chose to blame no one but himself for the result.

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“Turning it over. Offensive rebounds. I had too many turnovers myself, and I didn’t make enough shots. So, I don’t really think it got nothing to do with my team. It’s more so myself. Yeah, I had too many turnovers and not enough made shots. It’s just that simple,” said the Timberwolves All-Star.

He did credit the Thunder’s “AAU defense” for forcing mistakes out of him. Edwards turned the ball over six times, the most from any player on the floor today. And the Thunder marched back from a deficit because they won the possession battle.

Once they found that rhythm, the Thunder looked invulnerable, especially as their bench provided a spark, with Isaiah Joe scoring 20 points (off the bench) and Alex Caruso adding 17 to complete the turnaround.

The home crowd’s college basketball-like atmosphere encouraged OKC to keep fighting. Anthony Edwards just didn’t have his day tonight. The bigger concern, though, is about the Timberwolves. They’ve lost four of their last five, all by a hefty margin. Something needs to change for them to regain some kind of spark.

They’re still shooting well as a team. But at times, they don’t look as one. The offense needs synergy and trust. At the moment, the Timberwolves seem to have no innovation to punish teams. Otherwise, they had a great chance to squash the defending champs and move past their slump. Instead, they endured another lapse of concentration and let a pivotal game slip away.

What do you think was the biggest reason for the Timberwolves’ loss? Let us know your views in the comments below.