MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves misplaced starters Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo to injuries in the primary half of Saturday evening’s 112-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their first-round playoff collection.
Edwards was helped to the locker room late in the primary half after showing to hyperextend his left knee. The Wolves dominated out Edwards for the remainder of the sport shortly after halftime, and he’s set to bear an MRI to decide the severity of the harm.
DiVincenzo left 79 seconds into Game 4 after struggling a noncontact decrease proper leg harm. Sources instructed ESPN’s Shams Charania that DiVincenzo has a torn proper Achilles. He left the world at halftime in a wheelchair.
Wolves coach Chris Finch stated afterward that the crew didn’t have a definitive replace on Edwards. He turned visibly emotional when requested about DiVincenzo’s harm.
“I feel completely devastated for Donte,” Finch stated. (*4*)We love him and we’ll be there for him.”
Edwards leaped to contest Nuggets wing Cam Johnson on a drive with 2:43 left in the second quarter and landed awkwardly, sprawling to the floor and grabbing his left knee after it bent backward.
Edwards slammed the floor in pain and was quickly helped to the locker room, unable to put weight on his left leg. He was 1-of 8 shooting before the injury, and the Timberwolves entered halftime down 54-50.
Edwards missed 11 of the team’s final 14 regular-season games because of a persistent issue in his right knee. He was listed as questionable for right knee injury management the first three games of this series and has been wearing a sleeve on his right leg.
DiVincenzo’s injury occurred after he missed a 3 at the 10:44 mark of the first quarter. As he planted to go chase the offensive rebound, his right leg gave out, sending him to the floor grabbing at the back of his foot and ankle area.
The Timberwolves called timeout at the 10:41 mark. DiVincenzo called over the trainers. He needed to be helped to the locker room, and the team ruled him out for the game several minutes later.
DiVincenzo was a key factor in the Timberwolves building a 2-1 first-round series lead over the Nuggets, scoring 12, 16 and 15 points in the first three games.
He started all 82 games for the Timberwolves in the regular season and averaged 12.2 points, making 244 3s, the sixth most in the NBA. He is in the third season of a four-year, $46.8 million contract. He will be on a $12.5 million expiring deal next season.
Despite the injuries, the Wolves hung tough and pulled away from the Nuggets to take a 3-1 series lead, with Game 5 set for Monday in Denver.
Finch said Saturday’s performance was “essentially the most proud” he has been of the team all season.
“Losing these two guys was actually powerful. Tough emotionally for the fellows,” he said. “We regrouped nicely. I believed the important thing was simply hanging in there till we get to halftime and form of reset issues, work out what now we have and who now we have going ahead. We had been in a position to discover our offensive rhythm. … Just play after play after play, we actually had a crew effort, all people chipped in.”
