{"id":705551,"date":"2026-04-08T16:41:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/705551\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T16:41:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:41:18","slug":"minnesota-timberwolves-make-nba-playoffs-announcement-after-pacers-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/705551\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Timberwolves Make NBA Playoffs Announcement After Pacers Game"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t<img width=\"780\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775666478_165_GettyImages-1783121980.jpg\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\"   decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA &#8211; NOVEMBER 08: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans in the fourth quarter at Target Center on November 08, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Pelicans 122-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>With a win over the<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/indiana-pacers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Indiana Pacers<\/a> on Tuesday night, the <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/minnesota-timberwolves\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> have <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/minnesota-timberwolves\/clinch-playoffs-good-news-anthony-edwards-injury-update\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">clinched a spot<\/a> in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, despite the <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/anthony-edwards\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Anthony Edwards<\/a> injury and only having the franchise star on the court for two games in the past few weeks.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Timberwolves\/status\/2041754217962963035\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">In a post on social media<\/a>, the Timberwolves confirmed the news that they are going to the postseason for the fifth year in a row.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/standings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">Minnesota is currently 47-32<\/a> with just three games remaining on the regular season schedule, still with no exact injury update or return date for Edwards.<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Timberwolves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Timberwolves<\/a> have clinched a spot in the NBA Playoffs for the 5th straight season, the longest streak in franchise history since a string of 8 straight appearances from 1996-2004. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XhZwk4aGX9\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/t.co\/XhZwk4aGX9<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Twolves_PR\/status\/2041756271699796337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">April 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Minnesota Timberwolves Playoffs News And Scenarios<\/p>\n<p>At this point in the year, the Timberwolves look bound for the sixth seed in the West. They needed the win against Indiana to clinch another playoff appearance, but right now, based on where other top teams are, the sixth seed is all but guaranteed.<\/p>\n<p>However, as it relates to who Minnesota would play in a first-round matchup, that has yet to be decided.<\/p>\n<p>In an ideal word, the Timberwolves would have a first-round date with the<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/los-angeles-lakers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>, a team they took<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/playoffs\/2025\/west-first-round-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\"> down with ease in the 2025 Playoffs<\/a>. However, that doesn\u2019t feel like a likely scenario anymore, as after the injuries to <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/luka-doncic\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Luka Doncic<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/austin-reaves\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Austin Reaves<\/a>, and now <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/lebron-james\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LeBron James<\/a>, the Lakers look to<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mcten\/status\/2041681494297735229\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\"> just be staying afloat.<\/a><\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">While you were sleeping: Houston roared back from a big deficit against Phoenix to win, clinching a top 6 for Minnesota. This offers the Wolves a little more leeway to be conservative with some injured players if they want to be. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BpUATubUEn\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/t.co\/BpUATubUEn<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JonKrawczynski\/status\/2041838552326017110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">April 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Los Angeles is likely bound for a \u20184-5\u2019 playoff matchup against the <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/houston-rockets\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Houston Rockets<\/a>. It remains to be seen which side will have home-court advantage, but as they each are three games up on Minnesota, it\u2019s nearly an insurmountable different for the team up North to come back from.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the most likely scenario for the Timberwolves is playing the <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/denver-nuggets\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Denver Nuggets<\/a> in the first round. On paper, that isn\u2019t the best matchup for them. The two sides have played in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.landofbasketball.com\/head_to_head_gl\/timberwolves_vs_nuggets_game_log_pl.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">two of the last three postseasons<\/a>, with Minnesota winning in 2024, but the Nuggets winning in 2023 on the way to a title.<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/nikola-jokic\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nikola Jokic<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/jamal-murray\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jamal Murray<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/aaron-gordon\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Aaron Gordon<\/a> all playing great basketball, the Timberwolves will need a healthy Edwards and some strong performances from <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/julius-randle\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Julius Randle<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/rudy-gobert\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rudy Gobert<\/a>, and the rest of the supporting cast in that potential \u20183-6\u2019 first-round matchup to find a way to advance.<\/p>\n<p>With four game days remaining in the regular season, 18 of the 20 postseason teams have yet to clinch their seed.<\/p>\n<p>Seeding possibilities entering Wednesday \u2b07\ufe0f <\/p>\n<p>Anthony Edwards Injury Update<\/p>\n<p>Edwards and <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/jaden-mcdaniels\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jaden McDaniels<\/a> make up the<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Twolves_PR\/status\/2041251043674128735\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\"> Timberwolves\u2019 injury report<\/a> right now. While the team has yet to announce it\u2019s official injuries for Wednesday, the two have missed the past few games.<\/p>\n<p>McDaniels is dealing with a knee injury, and is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/timberwolves\/news\/jaden-mcdaniels-injury-update-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\"> currently week-to-week<\/a>. Edwards, however, is facing growing uncertainty about his knee injury, which was recently compared to the same one that kept<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nba\/player\/stephen-curry\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Stephen Curry<\/a> out for two months.<\/p>\n<p>According to head coach Chris Finch, Edwards is officially \u2018day-to-day,\u2019 but he hasn\u2019t played in five days, just seeing action on two occasions since first coming back from the knee injury that kept him out for six games in March.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is all just kind of part of injury management when you\u2019re coming off an injury such as his,\u201d Finch said, per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7174191\/2026\/04\/06\/timberwolves-team-struggles-edwards-gobert-randle-playoffs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external nofollow\">Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic<\/a>. \u201cHe remains day to day. This is kind of the day to day. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any great concern for anything longer term. But we\u2019re still in the uncertain phase.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Edwards still doesn\u2019t have a timeline for a return, and all but two of the Timberwolves\u2019 last 11 games. Getting him healthy is a top priority, especially if Minnesota wants to have any hope of advancing past the Nuggets, the team they\u2019ll most likely be set to play in the first round of the 2026 <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nba\/\" title=\"NBA\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"219001\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NBA<\/a> Playoffs.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/author\/eligregorski\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Eli Gregorski<\/a> is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication.  <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/author\/eligregorski\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">More about Eli Gregorski<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Timberwolves\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA &#8211; NOVEMBER 08: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the New&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":692680,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3774],"tags":[7,113,126,3866,6,114],"class_list":{"0":"post-705551","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-indiana-pacers","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-indiana","10":"tag-indiana-pacers","11":"tag-indianapacers","12":"tag-nba","13":"tag-pacers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/705551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=705551"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/705551\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/692680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=705551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=705551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=705551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}