MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves' will have Anthony Edwards available for their final game of the regular season after the NBA rescinded the technical foul he got in Minnesota’s 117-91 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.
The Timberwolves need to beat the Utah Jazz on Sunday to improve their seed for the playoffs.
Edwards was slapped with his NBA -high 18th technical foul of the season for using profanity to complain about a call in Minnesota's 117-91 win over Brooklyn, prompting an automatic suspension for the next game.
NBA rules dictate a one-game suspension for any player who reaches 16 technical fouls during the regular season. Each two additional technicals trigger another suspension.
Edwards was whistled for a personal foul while closely guarding Brooklyn's Keon Johnson on the wing midway through the second quarter. After spreading his arms out in disbelief with a furrowed glance at official Ray Acosta, Edwards quickly got the technical, too.
Crew chief Bill Kennedy told a pool reporter after the game that the technical was assessed for the profanity used toward Acosta, which Edwards confirmed.
“I tried to play good defense. They called a foul," Edwards said, adding he then asked what the foul was while using profanity. "And he gave me a tech. I hope they look at it and rescind it, so I can play in a couple days.”
Edwards separately from the technicals has been fined six times for a total of $320,000 for various behaviors.
The Timberwolves can finish as high as fourth in the crowd of Western Conference contenders, which would come with home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They can also drop as low as eighth, which would require them to win a play-in game to get a spot in the bracket.
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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) gestures after making a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) looks to shoot as Brooklyn Nets guard Reece Beekman (4) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards looks on after missing a basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards hangs from the rim after making a basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
DENVER (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and the Los Angeles Clippers evened their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets with a 105-102 win in Denver on Monday night.
Christian Braun was long on a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left, and Nikola Jokic, who recorded his 19th career playoff triple-double, grabbed the rebound but also missed a 3, with 1 second remaining.
The Clippers, who lost Game 1 in overtime, haven’t lost back-to-back games since March 2-4, a stretch of 23 games, and they handed David Adelman his first loss in five games since replacing Michael Malone in a stunning move on the eve of the playoffs.
Jokic, just the third player to average a triple-double over a season, had 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and Jamal Murray added 23 points for the Nuggets, who also got a bounce-back game from Michael Porter Jr. (15 points and 15 rebounds) after his 3-point performance in Game 1.
It wasn't enough against Leonard, who had 21 points at the break, including a pull-up 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that broke a 52-all tie.
Leonard also had a key steal of a Jokic pass with 37 seconds remaining in the game, but Harden missed at the other end and Braun grabbed the defensive rebound with 11 seconds left.
The Nuggets committed 20 turnovers — the same number the Clippers had in Game 1 — and missed eight free throws. “That was a killer,” Adelman said.
Jokic had an uncharacteristic seven turnovers and missed 4 of 10 free throws.
Things got chippy in the third quarter when Norman Powell got away with a push and Murray grabbed hold of him. Official Tyler Ford quickly stepped between the two, but Powell and teammate Kris Dunn were whistled for technicals, as was Braun. Because two of the technicals were on the Clippers, the Nuggets got a free throw and Murray sank the shot to pull Denver to 68-67.
The Clippers rolled into the playoffs as the league’s hottest team, winning their last eight games and 18 of their final 21 before losing Game 1 Saturday night 112-110.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue spoke before tip-off about the need to pick up the pace for Game 2, but the Nuggets outscored L.A. 14-3 in fastbreak points in the first quarter, just two points shy of their season average. Yet, they didn't get anymore fastbreak points the rest of the game and L.A. finished with 18 points on the break.
The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 Thursday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, top right, looks to pass the ball to guard James Harden, bottom right, as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., left, defends in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, center front, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32), forward Michael Porter Jr., center back, and center Nikola Jokic, right, defend in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, top, drives to the basket as Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, bottom, defends in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and forward Michael Porter Jr., center, defend in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, drives past Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
