Anthony Edwards said he does not see himself as the future face of the NBA. Well, the league probably feels the same way, at least as of this moment. The Minnesota Timberwolves star was ejected in Thursday’s 111-102 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers after collecting his 15 and 16th technical fouls of the season, via ClutchPoints. Unless the decision is rescinded, he will be suspended for Friday night’s road game versus the Utah Jazz.
Edwards incurred a double-tech after arguing a no-call more than halfway through the third quarter. He initially smiled after the official handed down the penalty but expressed his displeasure on the way to the locker room. The 23-year-old threw the ball into the stands after getting tossed from the game, an outburst that is sure to earn him a fine from the NBA offices.
It was difficult to see what Edwards said to the ref, but his reputation might not be doing him any favors. He can lose his temper on occasion, which was certainly the case in the aftermath of the ejection. Once a player gets 16 technical fouls, an automatic one-game suspension follows.
This is Anthony Edwards’ 16th technical foul of the season.
A suspension is waiting if he does not get one rescinded from tonight
https://t.co/TktwjpzZGt
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 28, 2025
Anthony Edwards needs to effectively lead the Timberwolves
The Timberwolves (32-28, eighth in West) are counting on their franchise cornerstone to lead them out of the NBA Play-In Tournament picture and into another notable playoffs run. Considering how crowded the Western Conference is right now, with only two games separating the No. 6 and No. 10 slots in the standings, every game counts. Minnesota has the tenacity to survive the last-place, 14-44 Jazz without Edwards, but such a situation should not even be a reality.
The 2024 All-NBA Second-Team selection and three-time All-Star was on pace for his most efficient outing in a while before his forced exit, scoring 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting against the Lakers. He also had six rebounds, five assists and one steal in 26 minutes of action.
Minnesota trailed by 15 at the time of the ejection but did roar back in the fourth quarter, cutting LA’s lead to three points. Terrence Shannon Jr., a pivotal part of the team’s huge comeback win versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, tallied a career-high 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting in the loss.
While nobody can know how the game script would have changed if Anthony Edwards stayed on the court through the end of regulation, there is obviously a chance the Timberwolves could have erased the deficit if he was active in the closing minutes. The team can only move forward, but it is important that he takes accountability and makes a concentrated effort to avoid technical fouls for the rest of the season.
Minnesota’s ceiling is directly tied to the availability and performance of its best player. Edwards must reflect on that as the Wolves play the Jazz in the Delta Center.
The post Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards set for suspension after shocking ejection vs. Lakers appeared first on ClutchPoints.
