Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards saw an early end to the night against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday after reportedly experiencing right hamstring tightness. After playing only three minutes in the first quarter, Edwards was sidelined for the game as a precaution.
Unfortunately, the situation appears to be quite grave as ESPN’s Shams Charania provided an update on the matter on “NBA Today“.
“Sources tell me Anthony Edwards will miss two weeks, so about eight games, with a right hamstring strain,” Charania stated. “So he underwent an MRI this morning that revealed the injury and that came just three minutes into Sunday’s win over Indiana.”
“Anthony Edwards has been as durable as they come,” Charania added. “The most number of games he’s missed have been six in a row in December 2021. He’s missed just 19 games total, in the season or in the playoffs, since he has entered the NBA in 2020. Now, just a few games into the season, he’s headed to rehab that hamstring for at least two weeks.”
Charania made it a point to emphasize Anthony Edwards’ durability. Since joining the NBA, Edwards hasn’t played under 70 games in a regular season, with his lowest being 72. Given that he only missed three games last season, the Timberwolves are already on track to see the 24-year-old sidelined for a longer period.
Given the kind of injuries Edwards has seemingly walked off over the last few seasons, the hamstring strain would surely be quite severe. This could be detrimental to Minnesota’s outlook for the campaign as well as the 24-year-old’s personal goals for the season.
Can The Wolves Stay Afloat Without Anthony Edwards?
Anthony Edwards has been Minnesota’s most valuable asset for the last few seasons. After emerging as the franchise cornerstone and embracing the role of the leader, the 24-year-old has grown in stature, even cementing his place as one of the best players in the league.
In just three games this season, Edwards was averaging 25.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, shooting 51.9% from the field and 47.4% from deep. Considering his impact on the scoring front, along with his improved defensive contributions, seeing him out of the lineup will undoubtedly result in reduced production for Minnesota.
However, the Wolves have shown some resilience in his absence. With a 114-110 win against the Pacers on Sunday, featuring an inspiring 31-point performance by Julius Randle, Minnesota showed that it could stay competitive even without its superstar.
With a 2-1 record, the Wolves find themselves just about .500, effectively keeping them afloat. But considering that they’re headed into their first back-to-back game of the season, facing off against the Denver Nuggets, the Wolves’ tenacity and depth will be tested.
With reports indicating that Mike Conley will be replacing Anthony Edwards in the starting lineup, it will be intriguing to see what the Wolves can produce.
