Things are getting worse for the Minnesota Timberwolves, even though they are getting healthier. Thursday night Anthony Edwards was ejected after picking up his league-leading 16th technical. As he walked off the court he threw the ball into the stands which is a big no-no in any sport. After the game, Coach Chris Finch blasted Edwards and called out the media for baiting him.
Friday night the Timberwolves lost to a terrible Utah Jazz team with Edwards serving his one-game suspension for picking up his 16th technical. With it only being March Edwards and the Wolves have to find a way to control his emotions throughout the rest of the season and beyond. Edwards has already racked up $285,00 in fines over five separate infractions this year. He will add $35,000 more to that total for not leaving the court in a timely matter after Thursday’s ejection.
Edwards is being compared to the likes of other volatile players
There’s no doubt Edwards plays with a fiery, competitive edge out on the court, just like some other talented players whose reputations were marred by volatile interactions with officials and antics that drew the wrong kind of attention to themselves and their teams. A few names on this list include Rasheed Wallace, Draymond Green, and DeMarcus Cousins.
Edwards is much more good-natured than Wallace or Cousins were in their day. He is not as in-your-face as Green has been with officials. He is attracting negative attention, accumulating penalties that are detrimental to the Timberwolves’ winning prospects, reminiscent of those past players.
“He’s got to be better,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “He’s had too many outbursts. I think a lot of them are deserved. They’re going to miss some calls from time to time for sure.”
“We’ve got a lot of guys who get emotional when things don’t go the right way, individually. And that can hurt our team as a whole,” Minnesota point guard Mike Conley said. “We have to be better. Ant has to be better. He knows that.”
Edwards will be suspended one game for every two technicals he receives going forward. Based on how many he’s picked up since the all-star break (4), it’s likely that Edwards will pick up a few more technicals and miss a few games. The Wolves have 24 games left to keep Edwards in check.
Shannon Jr. Proving Valuable for Wolves
Everyone knew Terrence Shannon Jr. needed some consistent minutes to show the Timberwolves just how good he could be. With injuries to Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert, Shannon Jr has flourished in his opportunities. Racking up his first double-double against Oklahoma City, and now scoring in double figures the last three games, Shannon Jr has given this coaching staff something to think about once Randle and Gobert get back.
Even with DiVincenzo back the last two games Shannon Jr. has logged more minutes and outscored DiVincenzo. Shannon Jr’s knack for moving without the ball, and his relentless pursuit on defense will automatically keep him in the rotation in some way. Shannon Jr. also got the start Friday night against Utah scoring 17 points on 7-16 shooting.
The Timberwolves have had rotation issues all year with the acquisition of Randle and DiVincenzo. Also with Dillingham, Shannon Jr., and Jaylen Clark carving out nice roles for themselves, it’s going to be tough for coach Finch and his staff to find the winning formula with just 24 games left to play. The Timberwolves have the 2nd easiest schedule from here on out so it’s crucial that they find the right rotations to win them some games or else they will be facing even bigger questions this offseason.
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