The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Philadelphia 76ers tonight and Anthony Edwards‘ status is officially uncertain. While he was listed as questionable in earlier reports, he is a major doubt after being ruled out of Thursday’s 113–108 loss to the Detroit Pistons due to both right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and a newly reported illness.
Edwards had recently returned from a six-game absence to play 23 minutes against the Mavericks, but the combined knee issue and illness forced him back to the sidelines.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch confirmed that the illness was the primary factor in his late scratch against Detroit, and his availability for tonight will likely be a game-time decision following warmups.
Edwards ineligible for NBA postseason awards
By returning for the recent matchup against the Mavericks, Edwards briefly kept his hopes alive for NBA end-of-season honors. However, following his absence in the subsequent game against the Pistons, the Timberwolves star has officially been ruled ineligible for major awards, including All-NBA and MVP consideration.
Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Getty Images)
The NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement requires players to participate in at least 65 games to qualify for postseason accolades. Edwards has appeared in 59 games so far this season, with six games remaining on Minnesota’s schedule.
While mathematically he could reach 65 total appearances, the Minnesota star logged only three minutes in a game against the Pacers, which does not meet the league’s criteria to count as a full game played for award eligibility. This leaves him with the possibility of appearing in a maximum of only 64 regular-season games, one short of the NBA’s mandatory threshold.
Edwards’ massive season
Despite battling persistent knee issues recently, Anthony Edwards is putting together a dominant campaign as the undisputed leader of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the 59 games he has played so far this season, Ant-Man has averaged 29.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals. His efficiency has also reached an elite level, posting career-high shooting marks of 49.3% from the field and 40.4% from behind the arc.
