Timberwolves roll over Nets but lose Anthony Edwards for regular-season finale

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Apr 11, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Timberwolves just had to avoid disaster Friday and get through the night with nothing jeopardizing their chances of reaching the No. 6 position in the Western Conference standings and securing a guaranteed playoff spot.

The Wolves did pick up the win Friday night over the Nets, 117-91, but they will now have to play Sunday’s finale against Utah without their best player, Anthony Edwards.

Edwards picked up a technical foul in the second quarter Friday night arguing a foul call. Under league rules, he will receive his second one-game suspension of the season for what was his 18th technical foul. Edwards was suspended when he hit 16 in February, and he picked up a 17th technical March 30 against Detroit. Players receive a one-game suspension for every two technicals after 16. The league could rescind the technical upon further review.

Edwards (nine points) was suspended for a game against the Jazz on Feb. 28, and the Wolves lost, 117-116, in Salt Lake City. The Wolves were also down Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle in that game. Edwards picked up his technical Friday with 6 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter after committing a foul against Brooklyn’s Keon Johnson on the left wing. Edwards argued the call with official Ray Acosta.

That had been brewing from the first quarter. Edwards appeared close to earning a technical on two earlier occasions, once when he thought he got fouled and angrily reacted. Then he could have received one when he hung on the rim a little too long after a dunk. In the playoffs, all players begin with zero technicals.

The Wolves still had an easy win Friday thanks to a big night from Gobert, who dominated inside, equaling his career high with 35 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Brooklyn had no match for Gobert and at times just held him as he tried to shoot a layup. He went 9 for 14 at the foul line. Randle followed up his 31 points from Thursday against Memphis with 21.

Slow to start

The Wolves needed a little bit of time to get into the game Friday, as Brooklyn opened with a 7-0 lead. Mike Conley calmed the nerves and got the crowd to take its seat with the first bucket of the night, and the Wolves came to life. They went on a 12-2 run to take a 12-9 lead as Gobert had a strong opening shift in the post.

He had eight points and three rebounds in his first nine minutes, and the Wolves had an 18-11 lead when he checked out of the game. The Wolves won in Brooklyn last week on a strong night from Gobert when not much else was working, and he set the tone again Friday.

The Wolves got out in transition for nine fast-break points in the quarter, as rookie Jaylen Clark made an impact off the bench with five points. The Wolves led 28-16 after one quarter.

Wolves up 12 at the half

The Nets cut the Wolves’ lead to 47-41 and sent some nervous energy through Target Center, but the Wolves leaned on their veterans, as Gobert and Randle extended the lead back into double digits. Randle finished with 12 points in the first half while Gobert had 16. A three-point play from Gobert extended the lead to 17 before Brooklyn closed with five straight points

Breaking it open

The Wolves came out with renewed purpose in the second half. Again, Gobert was at the center of it. At one point, after an Edwards steal, Gobert was all alone on a fast break and he walked in for a dunk. He was up to 27 points and seven boards when he came out, and the Wolves were up 20. They continued that run when he exited with a pair of buckets from Randle and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. They pushed the lead to 91-66 with 4:09 to play, and the Wolves still led by 25 at the end of the third. The game was eventually as easy as it seemed it would be coming into the night, but now the Wolves likely will have to make do without Edwards on Sunday.