The Minnesota Timberwolves face a challenging situation as they head into their final regular-season game against Utah, needing a win to improve their playoff seeding. Unfortunately, they will have to do so without star player Anthony Edwards, who was handed an automatic one-game suspension for his 18th technical foul of the season. Edwards received the technical during the Timberwolves’ 117-91 victory over Brooklyn, after expressing frustration with a foul call by using profanity toward the referee.
NBA rules stipulate that a player receives a one-game suspension after reaching 16 technical fouls, with every two additional technicals resulting in another suspension. While the league can review and potentially rescind a technical foul, the Timberwolves are hoping for that outcome, especially considering Edwards was also suspended earlier in the season after a similar situation in a game against Utah.
The incident occurred midway through the second quarter when Edwards was called for a personal foul while guarding Brooklyn’s Keon Johnson. After questioning the call, he used profanity in his protest, resulting in the technical foul. Edwards expressed disappointment over the call, hoping the league would reconsider and allow him to play in the upcoming game.
Head coach Chris Finch also questioned the reasoning behind the technical, noting that it didn’t seem like Edwards did anything egregious or overly demonstrative. Meanwhile, Edwards has faced multiple fines this season for various behaviors, totaling $320,000.
Despite the setback, the Timberwolves are still in the mix for a high playoff seed in the Western Conference. With a record of 48-33, they could potentially finish as high as fourth, securing home-court advantage for the first round. However, they could also drop to eighth, which would force them to win a play-in game to earn a playoff spot.
The Timberwolves have been performing well without Edwards, winning 16 of their last 20 games, but Utah remains a tough opponent despite having the worst record in the NBA. Center Rudy Gobert, who scored a career-high 35 points against Brooklyn, expressed confidence in his team’s ability to step up if Edwards’ suspension stands.
