The Timberwolves may have rolled out of the gate looking like one of the league’s most dangerous teams, but they might have to navigate Monday’s game against the Cavaliers without Anthony Edwards.
Minnesota placed Edwards on the injury report Monday afternoon with right knee injury management. The move came after he appeared to tweak the knee late in the second quarter of Sunday’s win over Toronto, a moment that seemed to catch his attention after he finished off a fast-break dunk.
Even with the concern, Edwards still logged 28 minutes in the Timberwolves’ 117-94 victory over the Raptors on Sunday night. He put up 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Over three games, he’s averaging 28.7 points, 5 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 44.3%.
If Edwards sits, Minnesota still brings plenty to the table. The team has crushed its first three opponents by an average of more than 23 points per game, and its offense has taken a big step forward behind the addition of LaMelo Ball.
Through three games, the Timberwolves own a 122.1 offensive rating, which ranks fourth in the league. They also still have a defensive anchor in place with Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert on the front line.
The rest of Minnesota’s regular starters are expected to be available. The one other absence for the Wolves is Donte DiVincenzo, who remains sidelined while recovering from a right Achilles tendon injury.
Cleveland, meanwhile, comes into the matchup mostly intact. Nae’Qwan Tomlin is still out with a back injury, and the Cavs are also waiting on Khalifa Diop, who has yet to make his debut because of a left knee injury.
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Minnesota is a difficult next test because it has looked sharp from the opening tip and has yet to show much vulnerability. For a Cleveland team trying to clean up its closing minutes, the matchup offers an immediate stress test against a club that has been dominant from the start and has not needed much drama to finish games. If the Cavaliers are going to turn those shaky endings into something more stable, this is the sort of opponent that can reveal how far they still have to go. [Read more 🡒]
