(KNFL/KFGO/AP) – The left knee of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards remained structurally intact when he was injured during Game 4 of his team’s Western Conference first-round playoff series, but he is likely to miss multiple weeks, a person with knowledge of the situation said Sunday.
Edwards has a bone bruise and also hyperextended the knee, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced details or a return-to-play timeline.
ESPN and The Athletic first reported the diagnosis on Edwards.
Edwards was hurt in the first half of Minnesota’s 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, a victory that gave the Timberwolves a 3-1 lead in that series. But the Wolves also lost fellow starting guard Donte DiVincenzo in that game with a torn Achilles tendon, meaning his season is over and his 2026-27 season is likely in great jeopardy as well.
Game 5 of the series is Monday night in Denver.
Edwards is one of the NBA’s most dynamic players, someone who — if he had met the league’s eligibility criteria by playing in a few more games — would have been a lock to make the All-NBA team for a third consecutive season.
He averaged 28.8 points in the regular season, third best in the NBA behind Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Edwards also averaged five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Edwards was fourth in scoring for the U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal at the Paris Games in 2024. He missed 21 games this season, by far the most of his career.
This injury happened with him on the defensive end, while he was contesting a layup attempt by Denver’s Cam Johnson. Edwards leaped in an effort to block the shot, and when he landed his left leg appeared to be at an unusual angle. His knee buckled, and when he hobbled off the floor he seemed unable to put much if any weight on that leg.
Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said he didn’t see DiVincenzo before leaving the arena, and he had a quiet exchange with Edwards when he saw him in the locker room.
“I just dapped him up,” Randle said. “There’s not much to say in those moments. … Somebody who’s going through those situations is processing a lot.”
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