The Heat Want Myron Gardner to Moderate the Mayhem After Anthony Edwards Explosion

When Myron Gardner attended Miami Pro League this summer, he wore a shirt that said this on the back:

"(Bleep) Them If They Can't Take a Joke."

But on Wednesday night, in the Miami Heat's deflating 131-106 night loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center, Anthony Edwards kept taking (and making) jumpshots after Gardner initiated trashtalk with the Wolves superstar from the Heat bench. Edwards made nine three-pointers in all, one more than the entire Heat team -- and nine more than Gardner, who didn't enter the game until garbage time.

After the game, Edwards was asked about getting animated as he was anni Miami.

"I think it kind of crunk me up," Edwards said with a smile. "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 shit, keep talking shit. Don’t get quiet."

At this point, I asked Edwards if it was "Myron," since Gardner has a reputation for instigating with opponents; he even did so last season to now-teammate Klay Thompson, calling Thompson (a future Hall of Famer) a "bum" and "trash," with Heat assistant Caron Butler compelling Gardner to apologize to his more accomplished elder after the game. (Thompson and Gardner have both since said they buried it.)

"I don't know his name," Edwards said with a smile.

The Heat know how Gardner is, and it's part of why they have kept him around, along with a developing three-and-D skillset -- they want his edge to round out their roster. But apparently, there's a limit to Myron's "Mayhem" which is the nickname Gardner endorsed to us on Five on the Floor last month at media day.

In apparent response to Edwards identifying Gardner as one of his inspirations for lighting the Heat on fire, the team declined to make Gardner available to the media after Thursday's practice. And Miami's coach, Erik Spoelstra, for the first time suggested that maybe Gardner needs to tone it down just a tad, especially when there's a certifiable flame-thrower on the other side.

“I love Myron’s competitive spirit, but we also lso have to be smart about it," Spoelstra told reporters. "I particularly don’t want him trash talking to the other team’s best scorers, especially when he’s not out there. But he’s got a good heart.”

Gardner has been a part of several other confrontations in his short Heat and NBA career, including one with Scotty Pippen Jr. of the Grizzlies. That one got physical, spilled into the seats and led to $35,000 fines for each side.

That time, and others, Spoelstra has fully backed Gardner's behavior, but this time there was a bit of a pullback. Edwards embarassing the Heat as he did undoubtedly contributed to that.

We will see how Gardner handles himself Friday against Detroit, whether he's on the bench or on the court -- because Cade Cunningham isn't someone you want to get going either.