Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves were cruising toward a dominant series win before his injury in Game 4 changed everything. The Timberwolves had taken a 3–1 lead, with Edwards carrying the offensive load, while Rudy Gobert had effectively limited Nikola Jokić.
However, with Edwards ruled out for Game 5 and the remainder of the series, momentum shifted. The Denver Nuggets bounced back at home Monday with a 125–113 win, and now one former player of the franchise believes the injury may have even impacted Jokić’s legacy.
Nick Young Believes Anthony Edwards’ Injury Saved Nikola Jokić’s Legacy
Edwards suffered a knee hyperextension and bone bruise, while Donte DiVincenzo tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 4. Both players are out for the rest of the series. Although Minnesota managed to win Game 4, thanks in part to Ayo Dosunmu’s 43-point explosion, Denver regained control in Game 5.
Facing elimination, Jokić delivered a dominant performance with 27 points, 12 rebounds, 16 assists, and 2 blocks, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 1-of-4 from three. Denver controlled the game from the start, leading at the end of every quarter.
While the Nuggets have a history of overcoming 3–1 deficits, most notably in 2020, former NBA champion Nick Young believes things would have been different if Edwards had remained healthy.
“Ant Man injury saved Denver and Joker’s legacy… You can tell Denver’s energy has changed, they playing with more confidence now that the big bad wolf is down,” Young said on Gil’s Arena.
“You ain’t got to deal with him [Edwards]. If Ant Man was there, I think their season would be over now. But they don’t have him, and energy was off. Joker is finding that (energy) at the end of the game. They looked like.. Denver gave up until you see some player going down, the energy changes. You feel like you got a chance now, and it shows.”
Edwards’ absence has clearly had a major impact. He is the cornerstone of Minnesota’s franchise and was their leading scorer in the regular season, averaging 28.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
He had also been impressive in the playoffs, recording 69 points and 24 rebounds across the first three games. However, Minnesota’s success was not solely dependent on him, as the team had been shooting efficiently and dominating Denver in the paint.
But injuries to Edwards and DiVincenzo not only hurt team morale but also limited head coach Chris Finch’s options for containing Jokić, as evidenced in Game 5.
The series returns to Minnesota for Game 6 on Thursday, and it’s a must-win for the Timberwolves as they look to avoid a decisive Game 7 at Ball Arena in Denver.
