Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves are set to kick off their 2025-26 NBA regular season against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. However, the team faces uncertainty as their star player may miss the opener.
On Tuesday, the Timberwolves updated the injury report, listing All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards as questionable due to back spasms.
Without Edwards, the dynamics of the season opener could shift significantly. In the 2024-25 season, Edwards played 79 games, posting a career-best 27.6 points per game, with 44.7% field goal accuracy and 39.5% from three-point range.
Should Edwards be sidelined, head coach Chris Finch is expected to start backup shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo alongside Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert. DiVincenzo, who missed the preseason finale against the Philadelphia 76ers for rest, is now cleared to play.
Additionally, second-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. might see increased minutes if Edwards is unavailable. The Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference Finals in the past two seasons, falling to the Dallas Mavericks in 2023-24 and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the eventual champions, in 2024-25.
To achieve another deep playoff run, Minnesota will rely heavily on Edwards’ contributions.
“We ain’t going to get to the finals without going through Luka [Doncic] or Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander],” Edwards said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “I just gotta keep getting better. That’s the main thing.”
The game against the Trail Blazers is scheduled to tip off at 10 p.m. ET. Hopefully, the Minnesota Timberwolves get a better update about Edwards in the near future.
