With 82 games in the regular season alone, the NBA‘s schedule is particularly grueling, and that’s especially true this time of year, with less than a month to go before the postseason begins. As such, every team has to deal with injuries, but the teams that rise to the top and make it into the playoffs are those with enough depth to overcome them.
That’s certainly the case with the two teams starring in the NBA on NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball game this evening, as the Minnesota Timberwolves are visiting the Boston Celtics, with playoff positioning on the line for both squads. But while the Celtics are seemingly getting healthy at just the right time, what with the miraculous return of leader Jayson Tatum, the T-Wolves are going through a tough stretch of basketball right now, playing without their leader: All-Star guard Anthony Edwards.
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Why isn’t Anthony Edwards playing tonight?
On March 17, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced that an MRI conducted on Anthony Edwards’ right knee revealed inflammation that would require Edwards to be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks. So it sounds like Edwards will be back in time for a final playoff push, though he’ll miss tonight’s game against the Celtics.
Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball while being defended by Luguentz Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
How the Timberwolves will look to rally without Anthony Edwards in the lineup vs. the Celtics
While the T-Wolves may be missing their main man, the Ant-Man, they still have a ton of depth, which is a big reason why they’re currently right in the Western Conference’s dog fight for one of the top six playoff spots. Granted, if they don’t keep winning, the Play-in Tournament to get into the NBA Playoffs could very well be Minnesota’s fate. So tonight is very important.
Fortunately, the Timberwolves have a ton of talent beyond Edwards, who’s already missed some time this season.
“I mean, listen, we’ve been here before, you know, first of all, I think it’s incredible when you think about Ant’s playing almost 95% of the games he’s been available to play, and that’s, you know, almost unheard of,” Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch told reporters last week. “But this year, you know, we’ve been without him [Edwards] more than in the past. Just got to regroup. We’ve got to worry about playing better basketball all the way around, regardless of who’s out there.”
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As such, Finch and the T-Wolves faithful will be relying on their other stars to step up, including Julian Randle, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Donte DiVincenzo. Fan favorite Naz Reid has been dealing with an ankle sprain and is day-to-day, so we’ll have to see if he’s available to pitch in too.
Either way, the T-Wolves will have their work cut out for them, as the Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in the East, with two of the best players in the league: MVP candidate Jaylen Brown and perennial All-Star Jayson Tatum, who incredibly just returned to action after suffering an Achilles injury late last season.
NBA on NBC
The NBA is officially back on NBC and Peacock, with exclusive games every week across broadcast and streaming featuring some of the biggest stars in the game.
The action kicks off every week with Peacock NBA Monday, featuring exclusive games streaming only on Peacock. Then on Tuesday nights, check out NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, which features two marquee games in primetime. With Sunday Night Football wrapped up, the NBA has also taken over NBC’s weekends with Sunday Night Basketball, with a primetime showcase game every week to wrap up the weekend.
Check out the full schedule for every NBA game on NBC and Peacock this season right here.
From real-time stats and predictive fun to highlight clips and immersive angles, Peacock’s suite of NBA features puts you in control of how you watch the game:
Courtside Live: An interactive, mobile-first viewing experience with new camera feeds and immersive perspectives that bring you to center court. Available weekly for select games throughout the 2025-2026 season.
Peacock Performance View: Unlock a next-level broadcast with dynamic overlays showing playing insights, heat maps, scoring probabilities, and more.
Can’t Miss Highlights: Swipeable vertical highlights on the Peacock mobile app for quick recaps of clutch moments, momentum shifts, and standout plays, wherever you are.
Peacock ScoreCard: Turn every game into an interactive experience. Pick from a range of cards and watch as your predictions come true.
Catch Up With Key Plays: Instantly revisit the most pivotal game moments with a curated playlist you can access anytime below your player controls.
Sign up for Peacock now to make sure you’re not missing a second of the NBA action. You can also gift the experience!
How can you watch tonight’s Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Boston Celtics Sunday Night Basketball game?
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics brings the ball up court during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics’ Sunday Night Basketball game will tip off on NBC and Peacock at 8 p.m. ET tonight, March 22, live from TD Garden in Boston. NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford, and Zora Stephenson are on the call.
Ahead of that, at 7 p.m. ET, catch Sunday Night Basketball’s on-site studio show, Basketball Night in America, hosted by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.
Did You Know MLB Is Back on NBC and Peacock?
The MLB is back on NBC and Peacock this season with the addition of Sunday Night Baseball in primetime and plenty of Peacock-exclusive games on the slate this season. Find the full schedule right here.
The line-up features plenty of storied rivalries from across the league. Sunday Night Baseball will be home to division rivalry games including Diamondbacks-Dodgers (March 26); Braves-Phillies (April 19); Tigers-Royals (May 10); Rangers-Angels (May 24); Cubs-Cardinals (May 31); Mets-Phillies (June 21); Yankees-Red Sox (June 28); Padres-Dodgers (July 5); Mariners-Astros (August 16); and Padres-Giants (Sept. 13). Catch it all on Peacock right here.