The Minnesota Timberwolves have been without franchise star Anthony Edwards for much of the past month, as he missed 11 of the team’s final 14 games due to a knee injury. However, as Minnesota prepares to open its first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, it has received an encouraging update on his status.
The Timberwolves finished the regular season with 49 wins, securing the sixth seed in the Western Conference. They managed Edwards’ workload down the stretch to preserve him for the playoffs, though he ultimately fell short of end-of-season award eligibility after appearing in just 61 games.
The four-time All-Star last played on April 10 against the Houston Rockets, scoring 22 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Now, he appears ready to ramp things up for the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) makes a jump shot over Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Edwards was initially listed as questionable for Game 1 with knee injury maintenance, but optimism grew on Saturday when he was seen going through his normal pregame routine. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reported Edwards will be good to go before the Wolves eventually upgraded him to available.
The 24-year-old has also been a full participant in recent practices, another positive sign regarding both his availability and potential workload for the first-round series.
With his return, Minnesota will receive a major boost against a Nuggets squad led by Nikola Jokic, one of the top favorites to win the NBA championship. The Timberwolves have leaned on Julius Randle in Edwards’ absence, with the veteran averaging 24.0 points per game across three appearances in April.
Edwards’ return would reduce the offensive burden on Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Ayo Dosunmu. During the regular season, Edwards led the team with a 32.0 percent usage rate and 20.2 shot attempts per game, meaning his presence would significantly reshape Minnesota’s offensive flow.
That is a welcome development for the Timberwolves, as Edwards is in the midst of a standout season. He averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game, along with 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists, while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Minnesota has been eliminated in the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons and will be eager to make a deeper run this year. That journey begins with a tough test against Jokic and the Nuggets, with Game 1 set to tip off at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Related: Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards Announces Career News Before NBA Playoffs
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.