Despite losing their final regular season game at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to get their vengeance by defeating them in Game 1 of the ongoing Playoffs. The team has just broken off a four-loss streak against the Suns, and they would not want to go back to the same. Therefore, hoping to keep their winning momentum alive, the Timberwolves will again place Anthony Edwards and other members of its offensive lineup forward when hosting their rivals for Game 2 at the Target Center. However, they may have to go into the matchup with one prominent member short.

A few hours ago, ‘AZ Central’ reporter Duane Rankin took to his official X account to highlight details from the Timberwolves’ recently released injury report. According to it, the team’s power forward, Kyle Anderson, has been listed as ‘Questionable’ for the upcoming matchup. It is a change from the previous injury report, in which no player was listed. Fortunately, except Anderson, the rest of the Timberwolves roster has been deemed healthy and available for the Suns clash.

Notably, Kyle Anderson had exited during the second quarter of the previous game after he fell and appeared to be limping once he got up. Upon further diagnosis, the scans revealed the player had developed a right hip pointer injury. He played for a total of 5 minutes, during which he could only add 2 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists to the overall score. However, his absence did not affect the Timberwolves much, who won the game by a 25-point lead. While Anderson only averaged a score of 6.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during the regular season, he is a rotation player and, therefore, a crucial part of ensuring that the pressure to score points is not limited to just a handful of players.

There was some concern about the availability of Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, two of the Timberwolves leading scorers. Edwards’ name initially regularly appeared on the injury reports after he dislocated his left middle finger in March. Meanwhile, KAT returned to the main lineup a few weeks ago after an 18-game hiatus, during which he was recovering from a left meniscus tear. Fortunately, the injuries of the golden duo now seem to be a thing of the past.

Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel had earlier confirmed that his player Damion Lee, who has not made a single appearance during the current NBA tournament, is slowly leaving his knee injury behind and may be present during any of the Suns’ next playoff games. However, it won’t be this upcoming one, as Lee continues to be listed in the ‘Out’ category of the injury report. A fresh addition has also been made to the list, as Suns point guard Grayson Allen was listed as ‘Questionable’. According to Statmuse, the player is the fourth-highest average scorer on the current roster, thanks to his per-game average of 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3 assists. Therefore, his unavailability can hinder the Suns’ scoring effort.

How has Anthony Edwards performed during his last ten appearances against the Phoenix Suns?

Anthony Edwards’ availability provides an enormous boost for the Timberwolves’ chances of securing a second consecutive playoff win against the Phoenix Suns. While the franchise may hold a 2-8 win record against their rivals, the blame could not be put upon the shoulders of the ‘Ant-Man‘ entirely.

During his last ten clashes against the Suns, the 2x NBA All-Star secured an average score of 21.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Making the field goals his priority, Edwards made 15+ attempts in 8 of those games and has maintained an average of 14-24 per game. Despite his free throw and 3-pointer percentage, both standing at 50%, the average attempts stand at 2 and 8, respectively.

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During Game 1 of the 2024 Timberwolves-Suns Playoff clash, Edwards registered 33 points, the highest he had made against the team since his 11 previous clashes with them. The player also registered the highest shooting stat of the game, going 14-24 with his field goals and 4-8 with his 3-pointers. His performance was so good that it earned him praise from one of the biggest names in the basketball world: Michael Jordan. ESPN broadcaster Stephen A. Smith reported that during a conversation he shared with the former Bulls legend, the latter stated, “The brother is special, no question about it,” when talking about Edwards.

Will you be rooting for Anthony Edwards during the upcoming game? Or will you hope that Kevin Durant and Co will manage to establish once again the win streak they lost? Let us know in the comments down below.