Anthony Edwards made his much-anticipated return to the floor after a three-game absence, suiting up for a marquee Western Conference showdown between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder. But what should’ve been a triumphant moment for the Wolves quickly turned chaotic - and not because of anything Edwards did.
Just minutes into the first quarter, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch was ejected from the game after a heated exchange with the officials. The flashpoint?
A no-call on what looked like clear contact during an Edwards drive to the rim at the 6:30 mark. Edwards missed the layup, and Julius Randle swooped in for the offensive rebound.
But Randle was stripped by Thunder defenders, and the frustration inside the Wolves' bench area boiled over.
Finch, clearly incensed, let the officials hear it. He picked up his second technical foul in rapid succession and was tossed before the game could even settle into a rhythm. It was an early and dramatic exit for the Wolves' head coach, and a moment that highlighted the growing discontent around NBA officiating this season.
Despite the early ejection, Minnesota didn’t fold. In fact, they responded with grit - a sign of a team that’s not just talented, but maturing fast.
Bones Hyland, stepping up in the absence of veteran leadership on the sideline, delivered a strong first half. He led the Wolves with nine points, adding two rebounds, two assists, and a block.
It wasn’t a jaw-dropping stat line, but it was the kind of steady performance Minnesota needed to stay in the fight.
The game itself lived up to its billing. Oklahoma City came out swinging, building a 10-point lead in the first quarter.
But the Wolves clawed back with a 25-18 run, cutting the deficit and keeping things tight heading into halftime. At the break, just three points separated the two teams - a testament to the resilience of a Timberwolves squad that refused to let the early drama derail their focus.
This matchup had all the ingredients of a playoff preview: intensity, star power, and just enough controversy to stir the pot. Minnesota entered the night sixth in the Western Conference at 17-10, while the Thunder, riding high with 25 wins against just two losses, continued to set the pace at the top of the league.
With Edwards back in the lineup and the Wolves showing they can rally even when things go sideways, this team is shaping up to be more than just a regular-season storyline. They’re learning how to fight through adversity - and that could pay dividends when the games start to really count.