The Minnesota Timberwolves have been dealing with an injured Anthony Edwards over the past few weeks. While going 6-9 in their last 15 games, they are just trying to stay afloat in the Western Conference standings to close out the regular season.
Despite still being without Edwards, who has been ruled out for the Timberwolves’ Tuesday game against the Indiana Pacers, the team recently received some good news.
With a win against the Pacers and a Phoenix Suns loss, Minnesota will clinch a playoff appearance, which would be the franchise’s fifth in a row, all while Edwards has been leading the charge.
Timberwolves Get Good News, Clinch Playoffs With Win And Suns Loss
So, the Timberwolves need a win against the Pacers, as well as a Suns loss to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday to solidify their spot in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
While even if both of those outcomes don’t happening, it won’t be the end of the word, as Minnesota still holds a three-game lead over Phoenix in the standings, and barring three-straight losses and three-straight Suns wins, they will still eventually grab a spot in the postseason.
Additionally, the Timberwolves look destined to be the sixth seed once again. They are three games behind the Rockets, a lead that at this point in the regular season, feels pretty insurmountable, as like with the Suns, there is only one scenario in which the team up North could jump the Texas squad.
Even without Edwards, as he continues to recover from a knee injury, Minnesota is bound of the postseason once again.
However, in an interesting twist, it’s a realistic scenario that the Timberwolves, now likely bound for the sixth seed, could be rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers in the final few games of the season.
The Lakers are without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and have since fallen from third to fourth in the standings. But, if Los Angeles does finish third, it would all but guarantee they play Minnesota in a postseason, a rematch of a series that only went five games last year in favor of the Edwards-led squad in dominant fashion.
More likely, however, is that the Timberwolves are matched up with the Denver Nuggets in the first round, a much tougher matchup against Nikola Jokic and an arguably deeper roster.
So, while the Timberwolves fate as the sixth seed is all but sealed, they’ll also want the Lakers to win in order to have a first-round date against a team without its top two scorers.
Anthony Edwards Injury Update
GettyPORTLAND, OREGON – OCTOBER 22: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on October 22, 2025 in Portland, Oregon.
For now, Edwards remains out for Minnesota with a knee injury.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, he is dealing with the same ‘runner’s knee’ injury that kept Stephen Curry out for two months.
“(Head coach Chris) Finch indicated that the Wolves are navigating a similarly unpredictable path with Edwards,” the Timberwolves’ insider wrote. “Like Curry, there is nothing structurally wrong with Edwards’ knee. Doctors have told him he is cleared to play when he feels well enough to go. But on the tougher days, the pain can be significant.”
While Edwards was ruled out for six games in March, he’s only played twice since then, and though he’s listed as day-to-day, there’s no verdict, only optimism, on him being fully healthy for the postsason.
“This is all just kind of part of injury management when you’re coming off an injury such as his,” Finch said. “He remains day to day. This is kind of the day-to-day. I don’t think there’s any great concern for anything longer-term. But we’re still in the uncertain phase.”
Edwards has been ruled out for Tuesday against the Pacers, joining Jaden McDaniels on Minnesota’s injury report.
In 60 games this season, the star is averaging 28.9 points, five rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 48.9% shooting, but has since been ruled out for end-of-season awards.
While the Timberwolves have struggled without Edwards over the past few weeks, they are close to clinching a playoff spot, likely the sixth seed for the second year in a row.
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