Anthony Edwards suffers knee injury but avoids ligament damage, expected to miss multiple weeks

The Minnesota Timberwolves received mixed news regarding Anthony Edwards‘ knee injury sustained during Saturday night’s crucial 112-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets. While the four-time All-Star will miss multiple weeks with a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise, testing ruled out any ligament damage, providing significant relief for the franchise.

Edwards suffered the injury late in the second quarter while attempting a block. His left knee bent backward awkwardly, sending him sprawling to the floor in visible pain before being helped to the locker room. The star guard was ruled out for the remainder of the contest as Minnesota took a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Timberwolves face backcourt crisis in playoffs

The injury news compounds Minnesota‘s backcourt concerns, as starting guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn right Achilles tendon just 79 seconds into Saturday’s game. DiVincenzo‘s injury will sideline him for the remainder of the postseason and likely most, if not all, of the 2026-2027 season.

Despite losing both starting guards, the Timberwolves demonstrated remarkable resilience, outscoring Denver 62-42 in the second half. Reserve guard Ayo Dosunmu emerged as the unlikely hero, stepping into Edwards‘ role and delivering a career-high 43 points on exceptional shooting. Dosunmu connected on 13 of 17 field goal attempts, including a perfect 5-for-5 performance from 3-point range.

Edwards is expected to miss the remainder of Minnesota‘s first-round series against the Nuggets, with the team needing just one victory to advance. Should the Timberwolves progress to the conference semifinals, Edwards would likely miss at least a portion of that round as well. The timeline suggests he could potentially return for the conference finals, depending on how long each series extends and his recovery progress.

The Timberwolves will look to close out their series against Denver in Game 5 on Monday night, relying on their depth and the momentum from Saturday’s impressive comeback performance without their star backcourt duo.