Anthony Edwards had an impressive return in Game 1 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Edwards scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to carry the Timberwolves to a 104-102 win against the Spurs in the series opener.
Edwards hyperextended his left knee and suffered from a bone bruise during Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on April 25. Barely two weeks after he picked up their injury, Edwards returned to help the Timberwolves shock the Spurs.
According to Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, Edwards’ injury management is going well, and he is trying to figure out whether he can increase his load in Game 2 against the Spurs.
“So far, so good,” Finch said.
Edwards came off the bench and logged 25 minutes in Game 1, but he was noticeably far from his usual athletic self, often standing just in the corner until the Timberwolves needed someone to take a tough shot late in the shot clock.
Edwards is also expected to have light physical work and treatment to manage his knee ahead of Game 2 in San Antonio.
However, there has been no update on whether he can play more than 25 minutes in Game 2, which could impact the Timberwolves’ rotation and offensive dynamics against the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs.
Anthony Edwards Reveals How He Manages His Knee Injury
GettyAnthony Edwards’ injury did not keep the star from playing in Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Spurs series.
Managing a hyperextended knee needs some work and rehab. According to Edwards, it includes not letting the muscle get stiff, which could delay recovery and potentially put him out of action.
“I think the main thing is just trying to keep it from being stiff, because that’s the usual outcome when you hyperextend your knee, like you don’t want to move it,” Edwards said. “Like I said, I think I got the best physical therapist in the world with David Hines.”
Edwards’ injury could be a difference maker in their series against the Spurs, as his on-ball creation could impact the Spurs’ defensive game plans and force them to adjust in the middle of the series.
Both teams played a defensive-oriented game in the series opener, with the Timberwolves holding Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox to just 12 points and Wembanyama to only 11 markers. Wembanyama, meanwhile, made history with 12 blocks, the most by a player in NBA playoff history.
Anthony Edwards Not Contented With Performance in Game 1
GettyAnthony Edwards is not happy with his performance in Game 1.
Anthony Edwards expressed regret for what he felt as subpar defensive performance late in the Timberwolves’ Game 1 win.
According to him shortly after the game, he should have shown more hustle down the stretch against the Spurs.
“I made so many mistakes at the end of the game,” Edwards told NBC. “I’m disappointed in myself. For me, 75 percent of the game for me is my mind.”
“My mind’s got to be where it needs to be and in the last minutes of the game, it wasn’t. I gave up two offensive rebounds, turned the ball over. Yeah. I’ll be better… I may not be as athletic as I usually am, but I’ve got to be able to box out, make the small plays to win the big time games.”
Game 2 of the Timberwolves-Spurs series will be on Wednesday, May 6, still in San Antonio.
Anthony Edwards Injury Management Gets New Update Ahead of Timberwolves-Spurs Game 2