In this season and last, the Timberwolves are now 1-4 in games that Anthony Edwards is unavailable. A valiant comeback effort fell just short on Wednesday against the Lakers after an Austin Reaves’ runner in the lane at the buzzer secured a one-point win for LA.
It was a tough loss for Minnesota as they are now 2-3 on the season. It also continued a trend of close losses with Edwards sidelined, as they also lost 2 one-possession contests last season without their 24-year-old superstar.
Tough loss on Wednesday
Some fans at the Target Center left the arena early in hopes of beating traffic on Wednesday. That is because their Wolves were down by 16 points with 6:36 remaining. NBA fans know a deficit like that isn’t impossible to overcome, but also not likely.
In the next 6:26 of game action, Minnesota outscored the Lakers 24-7, giving them a one-point lead. That hard-fought comeback went for naught, though, due to Reaves’ buzzer-beater.
Edwards has now missed the last two outings after sustaining a strained hamstring in Sunday’s win over the Pacers. In the team’s first game without him, Minnesota fell to the Nuggets by 13. When Edwards will return isn’t yet clear, but at a minimum, he is expected to miss Saturday’s game against the Hornets.
Two heartbreaking losses last season without Edwards
Yes, the Lakers were without both Luka Doncic and LeBron James, but they aren’t viewed as a bottom-feeding squad. Reaves is on quite a tear without those two. He will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and is looking to prove he can be a No.1 option on a team.
The three games that Ant-Man missed last season all came in February. Two of them came against the two teams that finished with the worst records in the league, the Wizards and Jazz. Minnesota lost them both.
On February 1, Washington squeaked by with a 105-103 victory. Three free throws by Mike Conley cut the Wizards' lead to two with just 15 seconds left. The Timberwolves forced a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play to give themselves a chance for the win or to force overtime. Nickeil Alexander-Walker shot a 3-pointer from up top that rimmed out as time expired.
On February 28, the Jazz escaped with a 1-point win by the score of 117-116. Late in the game, the Timberwolves nearly forced a turnover, but Utah maintained possession and found Walker Kessler inside for a dunk to give them the one-point lead. Donte DiVincenzo drove down the lane as time was running out, but was met by two bodies and was unable to get his shot up to the rim.
So that's three heartbreaking losses for Minnesota in the five games since last season that Edwards hasn't played. For Timberwolves fans' sake, let's hope Saturday isn't another one of those like Wednesday's loss to the Lakers was.