The Miami Heat had a terrible opening night thanks to Anthony Edwards scoring 45 points in the one-sided Minnesota Timberwolves victory. Most NBA teams had their opening game on the first two nights, but Miami had arguably the most disappointing results. Fans had high hopes for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut Heat game. The home loss saw Edwards motivated by Miami bench player Myron Gardner.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had critical words for Gardner and warned him to stop poking the bear:
“I love Myron’s competitive spirit, but we also have to be smart about it. I particularly don’t want him talking trash to the other team’s best scorers, especially when he’s not out there.”
This is not the first time that Gardner has run into such an issue. Klay Thompson cursed him out a few seasons ago when he was on the Dallas Mavericks, and Gardner trash talked him from the bench. The fast changes of the NBA landscape now see Thompson and Gardner on the same team.
However, it appears that Gardner didn’t learn his lesson and now angered an even bigger superstar. Edwards took joy in his dominant performance and didn’t need to share the ball with LaMelo Ball as much as pundits expected. Gardner played a huge role in his team losing and Edwards mocking them all night.
What Anthony Edwards Said About Myron Gardner
The post-game interview of Edwards confirmed that he heard Gardner talking trash. Edwards didn’t mention Gardner by name, but he implied it was a lesser-known bench player talking too much.
The following quote from Edwards revealed why he was inspired by Gardner:
“I think it kind of crunk me up. He was talking pretty crazy. When I start talking to him, he didn’t really have too much more to say. I don’t really like that. If you gonna talk (trash), keep talking (trash). Don’t get quiet.”
Edwards claimed that Gardner got quiet after Minnesota took the lead, and Edwards seized full control of the game. The Timberwolves core of Edwards, Ball, and Rudy Gobert looked like the clear better team, despite opening the season on the road.
Opening Night Exposed Miami Heat Flaws
Miami is a polarizing team in the East after acquiring Antetokounmpo via a trade this summer. Depth could be an issue with Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins as Giannis’ best teammates in the starting lineup. The bench took a huge fit after trading five players for two in the big trade.
Last night showed Antetokounmpo putting up great stats, but the rest of the roster behind him failed to step up. Miami needs point guard Davion Mitchell to take a big step forward and for some of the younger bench players to contribute consistently. Gardner is considered a less valued member of the roster.
A slow start is expected with the relatively new roster built around Giannis. The Heat must fear falling too far behind top East teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers in the standings. A good record is needed for any realistic playoff hopes in the Antetokounmpo era.
Erik Spoelstra Warns Heat Player Who Insulted Anthony Edwards