Anthony Edwards Suspended for T-Wolves Regular Season Finale After 18th Technical Foul

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards will be suspended for the team's regular season finale against the Utah Jazz on Sunday after getting his 18th technical foul of the 2024-25 campaign.

Edwards received the technical after arguing with officials during the second quarter of Minnesota's home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday evening. The arguing followed officials calling a shooting foul on Edwards (his second personal) while he defended Nets guard Keon Johnson.

NBA rules stipulate that players receive a one-game suspension after receiving 16 technical fouls in a season. That already happened to Edwards, who missed the team's 117-116 loss to the Jazz on Feb. 28.

However, players who hit the 16-tech mark are also given a one-game suspension for every two technical fouls they amass after that point. And with Edwards now picking up No. 18, he will sit on Sunday unless the league rescinds the technical upon review.

The Timberwolves are in a fight to clinch a postseason berth without having to participate in the play-in tournament.

Entering Friday, Minnesota was in a three-way tie for sixth place at 47-33 with the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. The Timberwolves were a game behind the 48-32 Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers and two games back of the Los Angeles Lakers.

A top-six finish in the Western Conference solidifies a playoff spot. Minnesota is in danger of finishing seventh or eighth, which means a one-game play-in to decide the No. 7 seed. A loss there is a win-and-in game against the ninth or 10th place team to get the No. 8 seed.

So there's a lot on the line down the stretch, meaning it could hurt to miss Edwards in the finale.

Edwards, of course, is a tremendous player who entered Friday averaging 27.6 points per game. Hurting him will sting, but the Timberwolves are playing a 17-63 Jazz team with the NBA's worst record.

Then again, Minnesota lost to this same Jazz team without Edwards in February, so the Timberwolves can't chalk up a win here.

There is one big difference this time around, as Minnesota will be at home as opposed to Salt Lake City, so perhaps that gives them a needed edge to close out the season with a victory and hope for a top-six seed depending on results around the league.