Anthony Edwards opened the 2026-27 season by dropping 45 points on the Miami Heat in a 131-106 win Wednesday night at Kaseya Center. Edwards shot 16-of-29 from the field and 9-of-17 from three, with 10 rebounds in 33 minutes.
When the dust settled, Ant was a +25. His 45 points are the most by any Timberwolves player in a season opener in franchise history. Edwards also became only the third player in NBA history to score more than 40 points on opening night multiple times during his career. The other two to do it are Michael Jordan (3x) and Wilt Chamberlain (4x).
ANT JUST WENT OFF TO LEAD MINNESOTA TO VICTORY! 45 PTS 10 REB 9 3PM FIRST PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY WITH 45+ PTS, 10+ REB, AND 5+ 3PM IN A SEASON OPENER 🤯 https://t.co/m1Y3cKKUAE
— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2026
Since Wednesday’s season opener, the league has been in awe of the Wolves’ new backcourt. We all knew Ant would be a better version of himself with LaMelo Ball feeding him and handling the ball, but I’m not sure anyone was quite ready for what went down last night in South Beach.
LaMelo finished with one hell of a game, in his own right, posting 21 points (5/13 3PT) with six dimes and two steals. He was a +16 during his 28 minutes. But Anthony Edwards admitted after the Wolves victory that LaMelo wasn’t the only guy who helped him go off last night.
Anthony Edwards responds to Heat trash talk
The other main contributor, though, was on the other team. It was no secret last night that the Minnesota Timberwolves’ former No. 1 overall draft pick was more animated against the Heat than what we usually see from him.
Afterward, Edwards told reporters that there was one player on the Miami Heat bench who wouldn’t stop talking smack. Obviously, Ant had to put said player in his place. At the time, we did not know it was depth guard Myron Gardner… and Edwards didn’t know his name either.
Seemed to me like a more intense and animated version of Anthony Edwards tonight. Asked him what was behind that.
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) October 22, 2026
“A player on their bench was talking trash at one of the dead ball situations, and I think it kind of crunked me up, because he was talking pretty crazy, and then when I started talking to him, he didn’t really have too much more to say, and I don’t really like that. Like, if you gonna talk s***, keep talking s***. Don’t get quiet, so I think that was pretty much the reason why I was super intense tonight.”
Anthony Edwards (via Dane Moore)
Anthony Edwards was asked about his interactions with the Heat bench.
— Five Reasons Sports (@5ReasonsSports) October 22, 2026
Then I asked if it was “Myron.”
“I don’t know his name.”
How do we know it was Gardner — a 25-year-old forward who graduated out of Little Rock in 2023 and averaged 3.6 points in 45 games last season — who got Anthony Edwards’ attention Wednesday?
Heat head coach reveals Myron Gardner as phantom smack talker
Well, the Heat declined to make Myron Gardner available today at practice. When head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke to reporters, he revealed the former Osceola Magic (G League) star as the guilty smack talker.
Then, Spoelstra admitted Gardner’s mouth is becoming a problem in Miami.
“I love Myron’s competitive spirit, and he wants to infuse energy into the group. You 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. But he’s got a good heart. He means the right thing. He’ll be better.”
Erik Spoelstra (via Miami Herald)
The Heat have declined to make Myron Gardner available for interviews today at practice. This comes in the wake of Anthony Edwards’ comments about chatter from the Heat bench fueling him last night.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) October 22, 2026
Related: Timberwolves Add a Year to Jaden McDaniels’ Contract
Miami signed Gardner to a two-way deal in July 2025 and converted it to a standard contract in February. He never got on the floor last night while Edwards was playing. When he finally checked in for the first time, there was 3:14 left in the game and Ant was already out. Gardner finished with four points, all on free throws.
This isn’t his first run-in. The NBA fined him $35,000 in February after a scuffle with Memphis guard Scotty Pippen Jr. And last season, he called Klay Thompson a “bum” from the bench when Miami played Dallas. Thompson is now his teammate, which Bam Adebayo pointed out Thursday.
That’s Myron. Myron did it to Klay, and now they’re teammates.
Bam Adebayo