With the playoffs rapidly approaching, Anthony Edwards clearly isn't at 100 percent, and needless to say, that's an alarming sign for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In March, Ant-Man missed six games with a knee injury. He has played two games since suffering this injury, but he has also missed two games, including against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
In the two games Ant has played, he hasn't looked like his normal elite self. Admittedly, I liked what we saw from Edwards during his first game back against the Dallas Mavericks last week. Despite making a solid all-around impact, though, he didn't look like the dominant scorer we've been accustomed to.
While the Mavericks game was generally solid, albeit not great, during last Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Ant looked like a shell of himself. He scored just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting from the field. Edwards didn't have his typical burst when attacking the rim, nor did he have his usual lift on his jump shot. This, coupled with Ant sitting out on Sunday, proves that he still isn't close to 100 percent.
The Wolves are just 1-4 in their last five games, and Jaden McDaniels is also currently injured. Throughout the season, there are some understandable concerns about their playoff viability. Ant seemingly not being 100 percent feels like the final straw in the Wolves' limited playoff upside.
Edwards' nagging knee injury could officially sink the Wolves' season
On the bright side, the playoffs don't start for another week and a half. As such, Ant could rest up and enter the postseason healthy. His nickname is Ant-Man for a reason, so perhaps when the playoffs roll around, he'll magically look like himself.
Still, for a player who relies on athleticism to be truly unstoppable, knee injuries can be inherently tricky. Plus, Edwards has dealt with other injuries throughout the season and clearly seems banged up. With four games left in the regular season, if Ant doesn't show signs of being his elite self, I can't have a ton of confidence he will be truly ready for the playoffs.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic noted that Edwards' injury is similar to Steph Curry's recent injury, which kept him sidelined for two months. Yikes.
With that being said, the Wolves' first-round matchup does change just how consequential Edwards' injury will be. Even if Ant isn't playing up to his stellar standards, the Wolves can likely squeak by against a snake-bitten Los Angeles Lakers squad, and perhaps he'll be ready to rock for the second-round.
Against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, though, this would be a vastly different story. If Ant isn't up to his standards in this series, you can pencil Denver into the second-round, especially with McDaniels' injury being a factor as well.
The Timberwolves entered the season with championship aspirations. All season long, their status as contenders was in question. I never wanted to give up hope, but admittedly, a lot of my confidence had to do with Ant.Thus, if Edwards isn't at 100 percent (which unfortunately appears to be the case), it might be officially time to write off the Wolves as a real threat in the playoffs.