Less than two minutes into Game 4 of the Minnesota Timberwolves' matchup against the Nuggets, Donte DiVincenzo went down with a non-contact lower leg injury. As if that wasn't bad enough, Anthony Edwards got injured later in the first half, holding his knee before limping off the court with assistance. All hope isn't lost yet for Ant, between Giannis Antetokounmpo's similar injury in 2021 and Edwards' affected knee.
Minnesota evaluated Edwards at halftime, but he was ruled out not long after the third quarter began due to a left knee hyperextension. He's been dealing with runner's knee, but as ESPN's Shams Charania pointed out, this injury pertains to his other knee, which could be a good thing.
And Anthony Edwards is set to undergo tests on his injured left knee. He had been playing through runner's knee in his other knee. The Timberwolves starting guards sustain injuries in the first half tonight in Game 4 against Denver. https://t.co/ipDf2LPRLS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2026
Without speculating too much about how much time Edwards could miss, assuming that will be the case, there might be a chance that he will return during the playoffs. The Timberwolves already did him a favor by taking care of business without him in the second half on Saturday, extending their lead to 3-1 over Denver.
Giannis returned in 2021 playoffs after hyperextending his knee
Don't read this and assume Edwards' recovery timeline will mirror this, but Antetokounmpo missed only a couple of games during the playoffs a few years ago and returned to lead the Bucks to a title.
Of course, the circumstances are different. No player is the same. Giannis might not have stepped on the court again as soon as he did if it weren't the NBA Finals. Edwards is the ultimate competitor, so he will do whatever is in his control to get back out there. Minnesota's medical staff will have the final say, though.
The other thing is that Antetokounmpo's return was made worth it by a championship, but he told GQ a few months after that he still felt lingering effects from the injury and predicted that would be the case for as long as he lives. That's not exactly reassuring, but it worked out for him, at least temporarily. He got his title.
Giannis has dealt with various injuries since then, and I'm not saying they are because he didn't take the proper time to recover from the hyperextension, but it's still worth mentioning.
As long as Edwards is healthy, Minnesota has a shot at a title, even with DiVincenzo done for the rest of the year. This Timberwolves team is still a threat without him, as we just saw, but to get to where they want to go, they'll need #5 steering the ship. Hopefully, we'll get to see that happen, and without him risking further injury.
Add us as a preferred source on Google