What started as an exciting home opener for the Minnesota Timberwolves took a quick hit when star guard Anthony Edwards was forced to leave due to a hamstring issue.
The Timberwolves then beat the injured Indiana Pacers 114-110 on Sunday night, but at the cost of losing their star man.
Edwards, a three-time All-Star entering his sixth NBA season, exited in the opening minutes with a right hamstring strain and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Finch subsequently provided no updates on his condition.
With Edwards sidelined, Randle shouldered the offensive load, orchestrating the Timberwolves’ offense.
Edwards drove through traffic for a tough layup, taking heavy contact before unsuccessfully appealing for a foul. Moments later, he left the field during a timeout, replaced by Bones Hyland.
Minnesota quickly confirmed the guard would not return, citing right hamstring strain. This comes just days after Edwards was listed as questionable due to back spasms in the team’s season opener at Portland — a game in which he scored 41 points in 39 minutes.
His explosive start to the season was one of the Timberwolves’ early bright spots, making his latest move a cause for concern as the team faces a rapid turnaround in its schedule.
Timberwolves face depth test
Minnesota’s schedule leaves little time to recover. Less than 24 hours after Sunday’s game, the Timberwolves will face the Denver Nuggets on Monday night – a daunting task even with a full roster.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Edwards, teammate Naz Reid gave an update on his recovery with optimism.
“Having Ant is a luxury, but I think he’ll be fine. I think he’ll play tomorrow,” Reid said after recording 16 points and 10 rebounds. “We’ve seen him do this many times before.”
However, it has now been reported that Edwards will miss up to two weeks due to his injury.
