Anthony Edwards Spoils Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Miami Heat Debut With A Stellar Showdown To Meet Michael Jordan’s Record

Anthony Edwards scored 45 points on Wednesday as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat© Instagram/ theanthonyedwards_

Giannis Antetokounmpo spent the summer waiting for his first night in a Miami Heat jersey. Anthony Edwards had other plans. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard shot the Heat out of their own building on Wednesday night, and Miami dropped its season opener 131-106. Antetokounmpo played well, finishing with a team-high 35 points. It hardly mattered. Edwards finished with 45 points and buried nine three-pointers, more than the entire Heat roster managed. The Heat had no answer in the backcourt, and Minnesota rolled. The record book has a new line to show for it.

Anthony Edwards Drops A Stunning 45-Point Showdown To Spoil Giannis Antetokounmpo's Miami Heat Debut

Edwards played 33 minutes and made 16 of 29 shots, nine of them from deep. The line also shows 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. The scoring was still the headline.

The first half was an even fight. Edwards and Antetokounmpo each had 21 points at the break, and they traded shots in the second quarter. Edwards hit a three. Antetokounmpo answered with a dunk and a bit of chatter.

Then Minnesota pulled away. Edwards chirped at the Heat for most of the night, and his shooting backed up every word. The 6-foot-4 guard had help from teammate LaMelo Ball, who scored 21. Together they made 14 of 30 threes. Miami as a team made 8 of 32.

Antetokounmpo held up his end. He even finished an and-one on a delayed layup without a travel whistle. The problem for Miami was in the backcourt, where nobody could stay in front of Edwards or Ball. On paper, the Heat had the bodies to switch Edwards all night. Edwards scored anyway. A team built on switching needs its help defense to be perfect, and Miami's was not.

Anthony Edwards Joins Elite Michael Jordan And Wilt Chamberlain's Season Opener Record

Edwards is now one of three players in NBA history with more than one 40-point season opener. Wilt Chamberlain did it four times and Michael Jordan three. Edwards scored 41 against the Portland Trail Blazers in last year's opener, so Wednesday made it two. Both came in consecutive seasons, which leaves Edwards one short of Jordan.

The nine three-pointers also set a Timberwolves franchise record for a season opener. Ball arrived from Charlotte in an offseason trade, and the Heat got the first real look at the new pairing.

For Antetokounmpo, the night was supposed to mark a fresh start. He spent 13 seasons in Milwaukee, won the 2021 title and earned two MVP awards before a contract disagreement led him to ask for a trade. Milwaukee sent him and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis and five draft picks. The cost was steep, and his debut ended in a 25-point loss.

Minnesota stays in Florida at 1-0 and plays Orlando on Friday. Miami is still looking for its first win and faces Detroit the same day