Anthony Edwards wanted to do crotch chop with Rudy Gobert vs. Suns: ‘But he would never make eye contact’

Anthony Edwards definitely was enjoying the Minnesota Timberwolves’ latest victory against the Phoenix Suns in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, breaking out a crotch-chop celebration in the fourth quarter on Friday.

Edwards’ reaction was part of a sequence when he assisted on a basket by Gobert, who was fouled by Suns player Josh Okogie, who was ejected. Gobert made one of two free throws to give Minnesota a 20-point lead on its way to a 126-109 win that has them on the verge of a first-round sweep.

“I was trying to get Rudy to do it with me, but he would never make eye contact with me, which was crazy ’cause I threw you the ball for the and-one,” Edwards said. “Let’s talk about that.”

Gobert then uttered an amusing response.

“I might be concussed,” the big man said.

With a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, the Timberwolves can eliminate the Suns with a win on Sunday. Each of Minnesota’s victories has been by at least 12 points.

That could be why Edwards broke out the celebration made famous by WWE stable D-Generation X. Earlier this season, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was fined $35,000 for doing the gesture during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

One of the NBA’s rising stars, Edwards has two 30-point games so far in the series against the Suns, scoring 33 points in Game 1, a 120-95 win, and 36 in Game 3. He scored just 15 in Game 2, a 105-93 win, and is averaging 28.0 points per game in the series.

Gobert is second on the Timberwolves at 17.0 points per game and leads the team at 13.0 rebounds per contest.

Despite playing on the road on Friday, the Timberwolves never trailed in the game, and the Suns never got within single digits in the fourth quarter. Minnesota’s dominant performance so far in the series could be considered a surprise as many observers expected a close series and perhaps an ultimate Phoenix victory.

Minnesota has not won a playoff series since reaching the 2004 Western Conference Finals. The Timberwolves have lost in the first round the past two seasons, including to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets last year.

If the Timberwolves ultimately eliminate the Suns and advance to the second round, it will be worth watching what kind of celebration Edwards and the rest of his Minnesota teammates break out then.