Anthony Edwards Returned Early From a Bad Knee Injury and the Timberwolves Stole Game 1 From the Spurs
Anthony Edwards was supposed to be watching from the sideline. The Timberwolves' star suffered a bone bruise and hyperextended his left knee on April 25 during Game 4 of Minnesota's first-round series against Denver. Everyone figured he'd miss at least the first two games of the Western Conference semifinals. Everyone was wrong.
Edwards showed up Monday night at San Antonio and scored 18 points in his unexpected return, pushing the Timberwolves to a 104-102 upset victory over the Spurs in Game 1. This wasn't supposed to happen. The Spurs closed as a 10.5-point favorite. San Antonio had only lost twice in their last 17 series openers at home. But Edwards worked his way back faster than expected, and with guards Donte DiVincenzo (torn right Achilles tendon) and Ayo Dosunmu (right calf soreness) sidelined by injuries, Minnesota needed everything he had.
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Victor Wembanyama was almost untouchable on defense. The Spurs big man set an NBA postseason record with 12 blocks, added 11 points and 15 rebounds, and became the third player ever to record a triple-double in the playoffs that included blocks since the league started tracking them in 1973-74. San Antonio's defense was locked in.
Julius Randle countered with 21 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota. It came down to the final seconds. Devin Vassell stole the ball and Dylan Harper connected on a layup with 31 seconds left, cutting it to 104-102. Randle missed, and Julian Champagnie's three-pointer at the buzzer wouldn't fall. Game over. Wolves win.
San Antonio's Scoring Wasn't Enough
The Spurs put up a fight. Harper scored 18 points. Champagnie and Stephon Castle each added 17. But Edwards' unexpected availability and Minnesota's grit in a hostile environment made the difference.
Game 2 is coming up fast. The Timberwolves have momentum and Edwards back. The Spurs have to figure out how to respond at home after blowing what looked like a winnable opener.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.