Edwards had been the lone Timberwolves player on the injury report, but he had practiced all week and went through pregame warmups without setbacks, prompting the team to upgrade him to available for the matchup.
Returning from a stretch where he appeared in just a handful of games down the stretch and garnered an extra week off from the NBA Play-In Tournament, Edwards admitted fatigue was expected but not a concern. “Nah I wasn’t limited. I feel good,” he told reporters after the game, noting a bit of fatigue after not playing for a month.
On the court, Edwards took 19 shots, including a heavy dose from beyond the arc, and finished with 22 points, along with nine rebounds and seven assists as Minnesota tried to find its footing in hostile territory.
Denver jumped out to a strong start and maintained the lead as the game wore on, never allowing the Timberwolves to grab control. The loss puts Minnesota in an early 1-0 hole in the series, with Game 2 on the horizon and the series shifting to Minnesota for the next two games.
Edwards’ return provides a needed offensive spark for Minnesota, but the rust from the layoff was apparent. The Timberwolves will look for more consistent contributions from their star guard as they attempt to even the series and keep pace with Denver.
