The Minnesota Timberwolves have been without their star player for a week now. Anthony Edwards has not played since leaving their October 26th win over the Indiana Pacers early with a hamstring injury. Originally, Edwards was slated to miss two weeks, which could still very well be the case. However, the All-Star guard is quickly making his way back to the court.
Per Tim Bontemps of ESPN, Edwards has been cleared to return to basketball activities.
He will miss Monday’s game in Brooklyn, but the fact that he is cleared to return is a great sign. With his return to basketball activities, Edwards could return to the floor ahead of schedule. But the Timberwolves would be smart to keep him out for the full two weeks this early in the year.
Timberwolves’ Struggles Without Anthony Edwards
GettyAnthony Edwards has been cleared to return to basketball activity and could return soon.
In three games without Edwards, the Timberwolves have struggled. They lost two in a row against the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers before beating the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. The 1-2 record without Edwards has put them at .500 on the year.
In those three games, Minnesota has allowed 116 points per game, and stayed around their season average in points scored. In the two games lost, the Timberwolves have allowed 127 and 116 points, which are the second and third-most they have given up this year. Edwards makes a massive difference on offense, but his defensive contributions should not go unnoticed.
The 24-year-old guard has scored 41 and 31 points in his two full games played. That type of production is going to be great for Minnesota to get back into the lineup. On defense, Edwards is usually more active with his Hands. However, he has not recorded a single steal. Still, his energy is missed.
Timberwolves’ Schedule Allows Them to Rest Edwards
GettyJulius Randle has been the leader of the team with Anthony Edwards out.
The Timberwolves square off with the winless Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, so they should be able to win without Edwards in the lineup. Minnesota will also play the Utah Jazz at the end of the week. Because of the weaker matchups, the Timberwolves would be smart to rest Edwards until he is fully ready to return.
A game in the Big Apple against the New York Knicks is sandwiched between those two matchups. Even with the Knicks being a talented team, Minnesota can still get by without Edwards. In their star player’s absence, Julius Randle has averaged 29.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He has been more than capable of holding down the team with Edwards out.
If Edwards sticks to the original injury timeline, he will return on November 10th in Utah. It would also make sense to keep him out until November 14th, when the Timberwolves begin a four-game homestand. The news so far has been good, though, and the former first overall pick has a chance to return at some point this week.
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