SACRAMENTO – Less than 10 seconds passed in the Timberwolves' 117-115 victory over the Kings. Sacramento wasn't going to let Anthony Edwards simply beat Keegan Murray one-on-one. Edwards had the ball in his hands near midcourt, and as he dribbled, Kings guard De'Aaron Fox came over with a double-team from his man Mike Conley. What happened next showed the difference between Edwards in the fifth year of his NBA career and years three and four.

The old version of Edwards might have tried to take on the double team and settle for a contested jumper. That's probably what Sacramento was hoping for in this situation. Another version of Edwards might have tried to pass him, but he might have looked left, away from where the double team was coming.

The Wolves and coach Chris Finch have tried to make the right, simple play in these situations in recent years, and on Thursday Edwards did exactly what they told him to do. His instincts and decision-making eventually came together, and that was one of the reasons the Wolves won.

“Two years ago, maybe a year ago, I probably would have tried to go left and step back. But you should mature as you get older,” Edwards, 23, said with a smile. “I played a mature game and made Finchy happy by getting to the rim. I'm pretty sure if I had chosen a sweater I would have heard about it by now. That’s all I thought about: It’s going downhill.”

Edwards made a quick pass to the right to Conley, and Fox fought back. Conley immediately threw it back to Edwards and the game began. For years, Conley has asked Edwards to trust him in these situations to win the ball back from him. After the game, Conley seemed relieved that Edwards finally listened to him. Edwards had told Conley to give him the ball back.

“He better give it back or I’m going to put him in a chokehold,” Edwards said.

When he got it back, Edwards didn't settle for just a sweater. He attacked the rim. After Fox was neutralized, Edwards drove around Murray and reached the rim, where Domanatas Sabonis fouled him with 2.4 seconds left in the game. Edwards hit the two free throws (he was 7 of 7 from the line, which counted towards his 32 points) and after Murray failed at the other end, the Wolves won a thrilling road game and secured their first win of the season.

“A few years ago he probably would have shot threes,” said Naz Reid, who had 19 points. “But the fact that he's aggressive in attack mode, going downhill, whether he's finishing the layup or getting the foul, that's a plus for us. He goes to the rim so hard that he either gets the call or finishes.”