Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves are still trying to climb over the Western Conference hump
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Once the Minnesota Timberwolves had conceded defeat midway through the fourth quarter of their series-clinching loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Anthony Edwards came out of the game and sat down next to Donte DiVincenzo. All those double-teams Edwards faced in the second round once he crossed halfcourt could've been a lot easier to counteract with a simple pass to his trusty teammate DiVincenzo in the slot to set up a 3-point shot and make the Spurs think twice about trapping. “Missing Donte is big for us, man,” Edwards said after the season-ending defeat on Friday night .
“He spreads the floor like no other. ” When DiVincenzo went down with a torn right Achilles tendon midway through the first round, the Timberwolves in an instant lost one of their headiest and steadiest players on both ends of the floor. He combined for a plus-40 rating and 31 points over their Game 2 and Game 3 victories against Denver that took control of that series.
Then after DiVincenzo's crushing injury in the opening minute of Game 4, Edwards joined him on the sideline with a hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee. He returned ahead of schedule to start the second round, but his usual explosiveness wasn't there . Sixth man Naz Reid was available the whole way, but he had to fight through a lingering right shoulder injury that hindered him throughout the regular season.
Edwards, who'd also been playing through pain in his right knee for much of the year, quickly zeroed in on strength and conditioning when he spoke about his focus for the upcoming offseason. “The basketball stuff,” Edwards said, “it’s not last, but when it comes to me being injured a lot this year, I’ve got to really focus on my knees, my ankles, my hips. ” The young core isn't quite so young anymore, as the four-time All-Star began to find out with his body this year.
Edwards will turn 25 in August. “I think it’s been eye-opening for him in the sense that he realizes how fragile sometimes these things can be,” coach Chris Finch said on Saturday morning at team headquarters as players went through exit meetings with staff. “Yeah, 100% health is going to be absolutely key for him.