SAN ANTONIO — Anthony Edwards estimated that at some point Sunday, eight nights after his left knee bent so far back on a block attempt that he suffered a deep bone bruise, he knew it had healed enough to be ready for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
“I know for a fact that me being out there calms everybody down,” Edwards said.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, entering this series as heavy underdogs to the 62-win San Antonio Spurs, pulled off a stunning 104-102 road win Monday night due to several contributors. But much of the postgame chatter was about Edwards, who came off the bench but still stole the show.
On Saturday, after a week of underwater treadmill training and band work to loosen an inflamed knee, Edwards returned to the practice court for a light workout. Some of his teammates said later that his first appearance gave them an initial inclination that Edwards could return in the second round.
But Game 1?
“Nobody expected him to play,” veteran guard Mike Conley said.
As the weekend continued, team sources indicated to ESPN a growing optimism that Edwards — a famously rapid healer whom Julius Randle refers to as “Wolverine” — was trending toward Game 3, once the series shifted to Minneapolis. Edwards’ coach, Chris Finch, said the earliest he had been told Edwards would appear was Game 2.
But Edwards had other plans. Despite no contact work or scrimmaging, he told the team’s medical staff and front office that his knee responded well enough to push up the timeline. He was listed as questionable by Sunday night. He participated in Monday morning’s shootaround with a bulky sleeve on his left knee. He pushed his way into a green light.
“I called him my hero before the game,” Conley said. “You look up to somebody for what he just put himself through the last week.”
The Timberwolves, still trying to exert some level of caution, brought Edwards off the bench. They limited him to 25 minutes despite the score being tight throughout Game 1.
Edwards optimized that run time, scoring 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, providing a needed offensive boost on a night neither team could efficiently score.
There were slight moments of concern. Edwards grabbed at his left knee briefly after a whirling lefty layup in the second half. He didn’t appear to have his full lift and admitted postgame that he didn’t have all his necessary athleticism when he gave up a pair of big offensive rebounds late.
But the statistical production and eye test were both encouraging. He beat his defender off the dribble on a few occasions, finding that extra burst for five makes and 11 points in the final nine minutes to help close it out.
“I felt great,” Edwards said, acknowledging he’d be ready to up his minutes and usage if asked. “Whatever Coach needs from me.”
Minnesota controlled the series opener because of a swarming defense. The Timberwolves held De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama to a combined 10-of-31 shooting. Those two missed all 12 of their 3-point attempts. San Antonio scored only 45 first-half points.
“You just got to act like he’s not there. He’s gonna get blocks. He’s the tallest person in the world. Just keep consistently attacking. Sometimes he’s not going to be there.”
Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels on Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama
But the Spurs remained in it until late because of Wembanyama’s defense. He set an NBA playoff record with 12 blocks, consistently turning away an aggressive Timberwolves team that faced little rim resistance in its last series. Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ starting center, had only five total blocks in six games.
“You just got to act like he’s not there,” Jaden McDaniels said of Wembanyama. “He’s going to get blocks. He’s the tallest person in the world. Just keep consistently attacking. Sometimes, he’s not going to be there.”
The Spurs had a chance late. Edwards, who was critical of a few of his mental lapses in the closing minute, had an inbound turnover that cracked open the door.
Julian Champagnie had a good look at a wing 3-point attempt to win it at the buzzer, but missed, sealing the Timberwolves’ Game 1 win and setting up Edwards to be the hero.
Eleven years ago, a young Conley fractured his face in the 2015 playoffs but returned quickly with a face mask to help the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies get a Game 2 road win over the top-seeded Golden State Warriors. It’s a signature moment of toughness in Conley’s career that he harkened back to Monday night when talking about Edwards.
“Broke my face and played like four days later,” Conley said. “That was probably similar where you shouldn’t be playing but you do anyway. You win the game, and it sparks your team somehow. I saw a lot of myself in that. I’m super proud of him.”
