Draymond Green Has Harsh Criticism for Anthony Edwards After Game 1 Loss to Mavericks

Sometimes it's hard to judge how much weight you should put on the shoulders of a young athlete, especially when they're trying to lead their team deep into the playoffs and carry the weight of a tortured fanbase.

So when looking at what 22-year-old Anthony Edwards is doing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, it's understandable if some want to criticize him for his 19 points in a 108-105 Game 1 loss in the Western Conference Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, while others might point to the big stage and his age, letting the lack of scoring slide a bit.

For Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, it's what Edwards did after the game that frustrated him.

In the post-game interviews, Edwards admitted that he didn't feel like his team was properly prepared for the matchup vs. Dallas, and they could have still been tired after playing in a Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

“We came out flat today," Edwards said after the game. "We found our energy, but then we went back to being flat. Everything was on us today. I didn’t get downhill as much, just stuff like that. We was still just a little tired, probably.”

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Green had no problem with Edwards' play on the court, but he did acknowledge on 'Inside the NBA' that he wanted more leadership from the young player following the loss.

“I’ve said a lot about Anthony Edwards interviews all playoffs long, and that was one of my least favorite interviews," Green said. "Saying 'we’re tired, we didn’t know what to expect…' The same way that those guys have followed you to this point, they will follow that as well.”

Edwards has seen his stardom take off over the past year, and he is now one of the most adored players in the league. His teammates look up to him despite his young age, and they will likely end up going as far as he can take them in the playoffs this year.

Green has a point, in the end. If Edwards wants his team to follow, he needs to lead by example. No exhaustion can be an excuse going forward.