The Minnesota Timberwolves are sweating over superstar Anthony Edwards’ fitness ahead of their clash with the host Houston Rockets on Friday night.
Edwards’ status is day-to-day after he was a last-minute withdrawal from last weekend’s All-Star Game with groin tightness. The NBA’s official injury report Thursday night declared Edwards questionable to play against the Rockets due to right hip soreness.
Edwards, who averages a career-best 27.5 points per game, headlines a lengthy list of injury concerns for Minnesota.
Rudy Gobert (back) and Mike Conley (finger) are questionable for Friday while Donte DiVincenzo (toe) and Julius Randle (groin) remain in street clothes. The Timberwolves announced Thursday that DiVincenzo has been cleared for non-contact basketball activities while Randle, who suffered his right groin strain Jan. 30, can resume 5-on-5 scrimmaging with full contact.
That leaves clouds of varying sizes hanging over five of the team’s best eight players.
Despite this shade, the Timberwolves entered the All-Star break on a bright note thanks to one of their best wins of the season — beating Western Conference pacesetter Oklahoma City 116-101 while severely short-handed.
Naz Reid posted 27 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, Edwards contributed 23 points and Jaden McDaniels had 21.
“I wouldn’t say I look at it differently (over the All-Star break), but I think you are who you are at that point in time,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “One thing I do enjoy about the break is you come back, I think, hyper-focused on the things that you know you can improve on, or that you can change.
“Then there’s a lot of things that you might not be able to affect at this point in the season, and those things, if you double-down on them, should pay dividends.”
The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time for ailing Houston.
Despite sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, the Rockets limped into the midseason intermission with seven defeats from their past nine outings.
That run was capped by a 105-98 home loss to the Golden State Warriors, with the feeling a battery recharge was overdue.
“(We) could be mentally and physically fried — certain people, certain players,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said. “But everybody’s in the same situation going into the All-Star break.”
Fred VanVleet has missed Houston’s last seven outings with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day.
Aaron Holiday stepped up with VanVleet sidelined, starting at the point and finishing with 25 points, equaling his career high.
But the absence of VanVleet, their floor general, has been a key reason behind the Rockets’ recent struggles.
“What he does do is get us organized,” Udoka said. “I think you can see how much we’re missing him just as far as that … we understand what he is for us as far as another coach on the floor, (his) leadership.
“Point guard is one of the most important positions and we’ve seen how much we’ve struggled without him.”
Shooting guard Jalen Green is Houston’s leading scorer this season, averaging 21.2 points per game, while center Alperen Sengun’s averages of 18.8 points and 10.5 rebounds earned him a maiden All-Star selection.
The Wolves are 2-1 against the Rockets this season and have won 12 of the past 14 matchups between the two sides.
–Field Level Media
