The Minnesota Timberwolves hold a 3-1 series lead over the Denver Nuggets in the first round, and on paper, things look good. But one moment in Game 4 changed the entire conversation around this team’s playoff run.
According to a post by Charlie Walton of Zone Coverage on X, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch spoke with @PAOnTheMic and sounded confident about Anthony Edwards returning during this playoff run.
His exact words: “We do know that if we keep extending this playoff series, he is going to come back. And he generally comes back ahead of the timeline.”
That is a big statement from a head coach who has watched his star get helped off the court. Edwards suffered a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee during Game 4 against the Nuggets after landing awkwardly while contesting a Cam Johnson layup in the second quarter. He avoided ligament damage but is expected to miss multiple weeks.
The Timberwolves also lost starting guard Donte DiVincenzo to a torn Achilles in that same game. Despite both losses, Minnesota outscored Denver 62-42 in the second half and held on for a 112-96 win. Bench player Ayo Dosunmu stepped up in a big way, dropping 43 points off the bench to keep the Wolves alive.
Anthony Edwards Injury Recovery Timeline and What It Means for the Playoffs
The general medical view on this injury puts Edwards out until at least the conference finals, which could begin around May 20. That would give him roughly a month from the time of injury to recover. Most outside projections have his return sitting somewhere in that window, if Minnesota keeps winning.
But Finch did not say conference finals. He said Edwards comes back ahead of the timeline. If you take the coach at his word, that points to a second-round return, with the conference semifinals starting around May 4 and potentially stretching well into mid-May.
That window is exactly what Minnesota needs to keep open. Every win the Wolves get without Edwards is another few days of recovery time for their star.
Why Timberwolves Insiders Still Believe Anthony Edwards Can Return This Postseason
This is not the first time Edwards has dealt with a knee issue. He battled right knee inflammation for much of the back end of this season and still suited up when the playoffs started. Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski noted on X that Edwards is “historically a fast healer” and that “he desperately wants to play.” That reputation, coming from the most plugged-in reporter on this team, is what Finch is banking on
That reputation is clearly something Finch is banking on. The coach is not throwing out a hopeful guess. He has watched Edwards work through injury firsthand, and when he says his player generally comes back ahead of schedule, that carries real weight.
If Minnesota closes out Denver, the focus shifts entirely to that rehab timeline. A second-round return is not the safe prediction, but based on everything Finch said, it is far from off the table. And if you look at how Edwards has handled injuries before, Finch’s confidence starts to make a little more sense.
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