Coach Chris Finch and the Minnesota Timberwolves are sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference standings with a 41-27 record. As we approach a frantic end to the regulation period, the Timberwolves have been dealt a massive blow with franchise star Anthony Edwards sidelined for 1-2 weeks with inflammation in his right knee. The 24-year-old supernova has already missed double-digit games this season, forcing constant reinvention.

Now, with just 14 games to go for the playoffs, Anthony Edwards’ injury comes at the worst possible time for the Timberwolves. But HC Finch isn’t panicking over one savior stepping up. Instead, he’s laser-focused on collective firepower: faster ball movement, dispersed scoring across the lineup, and ditching heavy iso’s for playoff-ready motion offense to keep Minnesota away from the play-in game.

“I mean, listen, we’ve been here before, you know, first of all, I think it’s incredible when you think about Ant’s playing almost 95% of the games he’s been available to play, and that’s, you know, almost unheard of,” Finch told reporters ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns. “But this year, you know, we’ve been without him (Anthony Edwards) more than in the past. Just got to regroup. We’ve got to worry about playing better basketball all the way around, regardless of who’s out there.”

Without a doubt, Edwards has been the focal point of the Minnesota offense despite the presence of Julian Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo. The Atlanta-native is averaging 29.5 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists over 58 games this campaign.

When pushed to comment about how the Timberwolves’ offense might look in Ant’s absence, Finch replied, “I think we don’t need one person to try to step in and fill the scoring. I think it’s just better if it’s dispersed throughout the lineup…I think, you know, (we) play a little faster, a little bit more ball and body movement. You know, those are things that would naturally lend itself to the players that are out there.”

Anthony Edwards’ injury record for the 2025-26 NBA campaign

Anthony Edwards has battled nagging injuries this season, missing 11 games before his latest setback, pushing his total absences to more than any prior year in the league (previous max was 10 games). He missed around five games at the start of the campaign (Oct-Nov) due to a right hamstring strain.

He missed another five games in late December and January due to right foot soreness and general load management. Ant’s latest setback will keep him out for the next 10-14 days (about 7 games).

The Timberwolves’ offense craters without Ant, dropping from elite to average. Edwards accounts for around 28% of his team’s made field goals. Minnesota is 35-23 with him vs. 6-4 without, which underscores their dependency on their franchise star, especially in iso vs. motion shifts.

Based on the projected timeline, he will most likely miss the game against the Boston Celtics (Mar 22). But he could return in the first week of April in time for the Detroit Pistons (Apr 2) or the Philadelphia 76ers (Apr 3). How the Wolves cope in the absence of their leader will define the outcome of their playoff run.