The battle between the Wolf King and the High Monk is both the future and the present.

The contest between Edwards and Wembanyama definitely ranks among the season’s top ten games. Both leading stars dazzled, the game was full of twists and turns right up to the last second, and both Wembanyama and Edwards possess a defiant nature—neither yields easily, and they settle disputes on the court.

In the second quarter, Wembanyama scored 20 points, hitting three consecutive three-pointers in the final moments. For a player of his height to knock down multiple threes in a row is terrifyingly effective—there’s simply no way to guard him. In the fourth quarter, he added 12 more points; when Edwards caught fire, Wembanyama responded with two long-range shots, a true showdown of aces who stood firm under pressure.

Wembanyama started and played 30 minutes, shooting 12 of 23 overall and 4 of 9 from three, finishing with 39 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. A few days ago, Randall’s physical defense clogged his low-post game, but today he shifted focus away from posting up and instead ran pick-and-rolls to create mid- and long-range shots, significantly boosting his offensive efficiency.

This is why Wembanyama’s ceiling seems limitless: his pick-and-roll threat has become nearly unstoppable in the league. When rolling to the basket, he catches passes effortlessly, and his three-point threat has greatly improved this season. So far, he’s shooting 37.7% from beyond the arc, including some contested and less-than-ideal attempts.

His defense needs no further praise. As long as he meets the minimum games played, Defensive Player of the Year is within reach. Early in the season, his block numbers were extraordinary, but as the season progressed, those numbers dropped—not because he lost the ability, but because fewer players dared to challenge him.

Thanks to Wembanyama’s second-quarter explosion, the Spurs led the Timberwolves by as much as 25 points. The Wolves faced a storm of adversity: Gobert didn’t play, Reed was injured, and Edwards hobbled around with a recurring foot injury. At one point, the Wolves seemed close to giving up, but Edwards never waved the white flag until the very end.

In the second half, Edwards ignited a furious comeback with relentless three-pointers—he nailed three threes in the third quarter for 13 points; in the fourth quarter, his shooting was unstoppable, hitting 8 of 12 shots and 5 of 7 from deep, scoring 26 points. Nothing could stop him, no matter the defense.

Edwards’ three-point shooting was on fire; unless you could block him, your only hope was to pray. When he got open looks from the corner, even if his first touch felt off, he would wait for the defender to close in and then shoot over them, still sinking the shot.

Counting his fourth-quarter threes, five in total, four were shot directly over defenders, and one was after Wembanyama retreated to defend. Of those four contested threes, three were over Fox’s head, completely silencing him.

Later, DiVincenzo continued Edwards’ offensive surge, but the Spurs responded in kind. It was a fierce battle of skills with neither side yielding, and ultimately, another “High Monk” from the Spurs, Keldon Johnson, sealed the victory with a decisive blow.

In the final free throw segment, Edwards missed one shot. After the loss, he shouted “Damn free throws!” in the players’ tunnel. His eyes at the end of the game were filled with frustration; despite a career night, he had to swallow the bitter taste of defeat.

Edwards played 40 minutes, shooting 19 of 33 overall, 9 of 16 from three, and 8 of 10 from the line, scoring a career-high 55 points along with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, finishing with a +8 plus-minus. His foot was genuinely injured—he felt discomfort throughout the game—but his determination to reverse the outcome overshadowed all pain, pushing him to fight on regardless of the throbbing in his foot.

At crucial moments, Edwards took control once again. This season, he averages 1.39 points per minute in clutch situations, second only in the league to Alexander’s 1.51. Even more impressive is his true shooting percentage in these moments, which reaches 85%.

Halfway through the season, Edwards has already delivered numerous memorable performances: 41 points with a mid-range game-winner against the Blazers early on, a game-winning three-pointer against the Celtics in November, clutch offense and defense to defeat the Thunder, 44 points with a buzzer-beater three on Christmas, and recently, a go-ahead shot against Wembanyama and the Spurs.

After the game, Edwards and Wembanyama exchanged verbal challenges. Edwards said, “I love this kind of challenge. I really wish we could clear the court and have a one-on-one duel.” Which star player have you ever seen demand a one-on-one after losing? Edwards’ youthful spirit and refusal to accept defeat are exactly why fans admire him.

Edwards even threatened to dunk over Wembanyama. In response, Wembanyama said, “If Edwards really manages to dunk on me, he definitely won’t go easy—but I’ll do my best to block him a few more times.”

I love this kind of back-and-forth both on and off the court. The recent two games between these teams have already created a storyline between Edwards and Wembanyama. As the league’s future faces, they will inevitably meet again, with the playoffs being the true battleground. Today felt like a preview of what’s to come.

The best part is, their story is only just beginning.