Anthony Edwards says Heat bench trash talk 'crunk me up' in 45-point night New York Times (Online) Eric Nehm MIAMI – Wednesday night's game between the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves was one of the NBA's premier opening-week matchups. It featured new faces, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LaMelo Ball, in new places, making their debuts alongside established franchise cornerstones, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Edwards, in each team's season opener. But while Edwards (45 points, 10 rebounds) and Antetokounmpo (35 points, six rebounds) put up big numbers, the Timberwolves' All-Star shooting guard told reporters that he got special motivation for the matchup from the Heat's bench, rather than any of the players on the floor, in Minnesota's 131-106 blowout victory. “I think it kind of crunk me up,” Edwards said of the trash talk after the game. “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.” When asked if Heat reserve forward Myron Gardner was doing the talking, Edwards could neither confirm nor deny. “I don't know his name,” Edwards said of the Heat's mystery trash talker. On Thursday, the Heat confirmed that Gardner was indeed doing the talking when they declined to make the 25-year-old forward available to reporters after practice. However, head coach Erik Spoelstra addressed the situation. “I love Myron's competitive spirit and he wants to infuse energy into the group,” Spoelstra said. “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.” Gardner has a history of upsetting opponents with his trash talk from the bench. Last season, he offended Klay Thompson with his trash talk while his now-teammate in Miami was a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Heat assistant coach Caron Butler made Gardner apologize to Thompson after the game to smooth things over. So, when the Heat's All-Star center Bam Adebayo was asked whether he needed to talk to Gardner about his bench behavior, the Heat captain didn't feel there was much to address. “Nah, I mean, that's Myron,” Adebayo said. “Myron did it to Klay (Thompson), now they're teammates. But it's all part of the game. Obviously, their bench was talking to us, we just weren't making shots.” For now, it's just an interesting side note to the season opener for both teams because Miami has much larger problems to shore up before their next game against the Detroit Pistons Friday night.