Minnesota @Timberwolves Status Report in advance of tomorrow’s Game 3 vs. San Antonio Spurs:
QUESTIONABLE Dosunmu- Right Heel Soreness Edwards- Left Knee Bone Bruise
OUT DiVincenzo- Right Achilles Tendon Repair
The Minnesota Timberwolves have listed Anthony Edwards as questionable for Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs because of a left knee bone bruise, according to the NBA’s first official injury report for the matchup.
That makes Edwards’ status the central storyline as the series shifts to Minneapolis tied 1-1. The Timberwolves survived Game 1 with Edwards back in the lineup, then were overwhelmed in Game 2 as San Antonio rolled to a 133-95 win. Edwards was one of four Minnesota players to score 12 points in the loss, while the Spurs shot 50% from the field and evened the Western Conference semifinal series.
Edwards is not the only Timberwolves player on the report. Donte DiVincenzo is out with a season-ending right Achilles tendon injury, while Ayo Dosunmu is questionable with right heel soreness.
Minnesota @Timberwolves Status Report in advance of tomorrow’s Game 3 vs. San Antonio Spurs:
QUESTIONABLE Dosunmu- Right Heel Soreness Edwards- Left Knee Bone Bruise
OUT DiVincenzo- Right Achilles Tendon Repair
The questionable designation does not mean Edwards is out, but it does leave Minnesota waiting on its most important offensive player before a pivotal home game.
The Timberwolves previously announced on May 3 that Edwards, who had missed two games with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise, had been cleared for on-court basketball activities. He returned for Game 1 against San Antonio and scored 18 points in 25 minutes off the bench in Minnesota’s 104-102 win.
Game 2 was much different. Edwards again came off the bench and finished with 12 points as the Spurs’ pressure defense disrupted Minnesota from the start. The San Antonio Express-News reported that the Spurs held the Timberwolves to 35 first-half points and forced 22 turnovers, with their traps helping neutralize Edwards and Minnesota’s other creators.
The Wolves need more than Edwards simply being available. They need him closer to his regular-season form if they are going to prevent San Antonio from turning the series with defensive pressure, transition chances and Victor Wembanyama’s rim protection.
The injury also affects how Minnesota can structure its backcourt. With DiVincenzo already ruled out and Dosunmu questionable, any Edwards limitation would put more on Mike Conley, Terrence Shannon Jr. and the Wolves’ bigger lineups. It also could increase the on-ball responsibility for Julius Randle, especially if San Antonio continues to trap and rotate aggressively.
Game 3 is scheduled for Friday in Minneapolis.
Edwards was one of the NBA’s best scorers during the regular season. He averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 61 games, while shooting 48.9% from the field and 39.9% from 3-point range.
His postseason numbers have been far more modest while he has dealt with the knee issue. StatMuse lists Edwards at 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists through six playoff games, with a 39.8% field-goal percentage and 28.2% mark from 3-point range.
That gap is the story for Minnesota. Edwards does not have to score 30 for the Wolves to win every night, but they are built around the pressure he creates. When he is getting downhill, drawing help and forcing defenses to react, the Timberwolves’ spacing looks different. When he is limited or San Antonio can load up without paying for it, Minnesota’s half-court offense becomes much easier to crowd.
The Spurs made that clear in Game 2. Wembanyama finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds, Stephon Castle scored 21, and San Antonio had seven players score in double figures. Minnesota, meanwhile, had no player score more than 12.
That makes Edwards’ official status worth watching up until Game 3. The Timberwolves have home court back for the next two games, but they also have immediate pressure to answer San Antonio’s defensive adjustment. Whether Edwards is cleared — and how explosive he looks if he plays — could shape the direction of the series.
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