And Braun knows there's no escaping Edwards…

And Braun knows there is no escape from Edwards, the 23-year-old supernova whose rise has accelerated Minnesota's rise. “He’s competitive. I am competitive. We've seen each other a lot,” said Braun, also 23, who was entrusted this season to be Denver's leading defensive player – the answer to Edwards, perhaps for the foreseeable future. “We had a lot of possession against each other. I got my stops. He got his buckets. So I understand that he is a guy that I will be very protective of. I really enjoy his playing. I love watching him. I enjoy playing against him. He is one of the most fun players to play against in the league simply because he is so competitive. It’s a good, competitive balance with him.”