NBA superstar Anthony Edwards is not playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
In Game 4, Edwards went down with a scary knee injury in the second quarter and did not return to the contest that the Timberwolves ended up winning to take a surprising 3-1 series lead.
Now, Edwards, along with Donte DiVincenzo, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon, are those who make up the Timberwolves’ injury report for Game 5.
But while Edwards remains out for Monday night, Minnesota announced an official injury update on the star.
Is Anthony Edwards Playing Tonight In Game 5?
No, Edwards is not playing in Game 5 for the Timberwolves. He is expected to miss a few weeks with a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee, suffering the gruesome injury on a hard fall against the Nuggets over the weekend.
Good news for the Timberwolves is that the star did not suffer any ligament damage, as that was a big concern once he went down. Many had speculated he suffered a torn ACL or MCL, so while his absence isn’t great, the injury news could have been worse.
Edwards had been dealing with a right knee injury that kept him out for much of the final stretch of the regular season, but in Game 4, he left with a new left knee injury.
He remains out for the Timberwolves, not expected to play in the rest of the series against Denver, regardless of how many games it goes.
Timberwolves Announce Official Injury Update
After suffering the knee injury, Minnesota announced an official injury update on their star shooting guard.
“An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) conducted by Dr. Craig Bennett at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine on Edwards revealed a left knee hyperextension injury and bone bruise. Edwards will be considered week-to-week, and further updates of his progress will be provided when available,” the team wrote in a statement.
Additionally, Shams Charania of ESPN confirmed the news, and adding that Edwards is expected to miss at least two weeks.
However, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reported, Edwards hasn’t been ruled out for the rest of the playoffs, as he could make an injury return should the Timberwolves advance to a later round.
“Everything I’m told, backed by what Chris Finch said to @PAOnTheMic this morning, is that Anthony Edwards fully intends to return to the playoffs at some point, if the Wolves can stay in the fight,” he wrote on X. “If they advance, my gut says their next opponent will see him at some point.”
For now, the Timberwolves are moving forward without their franchise star for at least the next two weeks.
More Timberwolves News Heading Into Game 5 vs Nuggets
Along with now missing Edwards, the Timberwolves won’t see DiVincenzo for a while, as he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in their Game 4 win.
Though the guard did undergo quick surgery by the same doctor who repaired Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury, he isn’t expected to be back this season, and could very well miss all of next year.
While the Timberwolves are now without their starting backcourt duo, it was Ayo Dosunmu who stepped up in a big way for the team in their latest win. He recorded a career-high 43 points on 13/17 to vault Minnesota to victory, and will likely take on a bigger role for at least the rest of the series, both scoring and playmaking-wise after DiVincenzo and Edwards’ injuries.
Along with him, the Timberwolves have seen great help from Jaden McDaniels, both on and off the court, as he has been a pest for the Nuggets with his antics during the game and in press conferences.
He initiated a late-game scuffle after making a layup when Game 4 was already decided, which resulted in Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle each receiving fines by the NBA.
Finally, Minnesota needs more of what Rudy Gobert is doing against Jokic. He is holding the three-time MVP to arguably the worst playoff series in his career, which has played a major part in the Timberwolves holding a 3-1 series lead.
For now though, Minnesota has to find a way to grab at least one more win despite the DiVincenzo and Edwards injury updates.
Game 5 of the series tips off on Monday, April 27, at 9:30 pm CST on NBC, and if the four previous matchups in this series have said anything, it’s that this contest will bring more fireworks.
Is Anthony Edwards Playing Tonight? Timberwolves Get Injury Update After Scary Fall