Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves isn't the first matchup that comes to mind when it comes to NBA rivalries, but it has become must-watch television each time these two teams face off.
Sunday's game at TD Garden was no exception as the Celtics escaped TD Garden with a 107-105 victory. The last four games between the C's and Wolves have either been decided in overtime or by a margin of two points.
Boston has been victorious in three of those four meetings. But after Minnesota's one win last season, Wolves star Anthony Edwards trash-talked Celtics star Jayson Tatum in a clip that aired on Netflix's Starting 5.
"You seen Tatum trying to get me on the switch, locked his ass up two times. He started talking s---," Edwards told his teammates in the locker room after the game. "Tatum was talking crazy, saying, ‘Yeah, I’m here,’ then I said, ‘I’m coming again.’ Talking ‘bout best player in the league, y’all trippin’."
Tatum got his chance to respond to Edwards after leading the C's to a win on Sunday.
"We had two good games against each other last year," Tatum said. "Obviously, spent the summer with each other in the Olympics. I love Ant. Hell of a player, hell of a competitor. He talks a lot and he had a lot to say this summer about the games we played against them last year and getting excited to play against us this year. So you enjoy playing against the other best players in the league. It's always fun and competitive."
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Edwards' trash-talk caught Tatum's attention, but the 2024 NBA champion didn't take it personally.
"I saw it. We was talking a lot of s--- to each other during the summer," Tatum added. "I got a pretty good record against Minnesota in my career. That was the one time he beat us so far.
"But I mean, it's fun. They're a really good team, they're well-coached. They've got some talent over there, so I'm certain for the near-future the games against those guys will be really fun ones."
Tatum is 12-1 in his career against Minnesota. He dropped 45 points in the Celtics' win over the Wolves last season and notched 26 points in Sunday's victory.
Edwards did his part in Sunday's game, logging a team-high 28 points on 6-of-11 shooting from 3-point range. The 23-year-old has already made a name for himself as one of the league's biggest stars, but there's no doubt Tatum has all of the bragging rights at this stage of their respective careers.
Tatum and the C's will look to earn their sixth consecutive win when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
