Anthony Edwards Out Week-to-Week With Knee Injury, Timberwolves Facing Game 5 Without Their Star

The Minnesota Timberwolves just got hit with brutal timing. Star guard Anthony Edwards is week-to-week with a left knee injury, the team announced Monday, and he's likely to miss the rest of their first-round playoff series against Denver. This is exactly what you don't want when you're one win away from moving on.

Here's what happened: Edwards hyperextended his left knee and suffered a bone bruise after landing awkwardly while trying to block a shot in the second quarter of Saturday's 112-96 Game 4 victory. The good news? He avoided serious ligament damage. The bad news? The Timberwolves lead 3-1 and have to close out the Nuggets in Game 5 on the road Monday night without their 24-year-old four-time All-Star guard in the lineup.

Edwards' Numbers This Series Tell the Story of What Minnesota Is Losing

Through four games against Denver, Edwards was putting up 18.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. That's solid production in a playoff grind, but it gets even more impressive when you look at what he averaged during the regular season: 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 61 games, with 60 starts. The six-year vet, now in his sixth campaign with Minnesota after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2020, is in his prime and the Timberwolves are feeling his absence right when it matters most.

Minnesota's Backcourt Just Got Thinner

If the Edwards injury wasn't enough, the Timberwolves are also without backcourt partner Donte DiVincenzo, who tore his Achilles early in Game 4. Two key guards down during the most important stretch of the season is a nightmare scenario for any team.

Minnesota has the chance to put Denver away tonight on the road in Game 5. But they'll have to do it without Edwards in uniform, watching from the sideline instead of being out there making plays. The window is still there. They just have to find a way to close it without one of their best guys.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.