MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards needed to be helped to the locker room late in the first half of Saturday night’s Game 4 after appearing to hyperextend his left knee.
Edwards leaped to contest Denver Nuggets wing Cam Johnson on a drive with 2:43 left in the second quarter and landed awkwardly, sprawling to the floor and grabbing his left knee after it bent backward.
Edwards slammed the floor in pain and was quickly helped to the locker room, unable to put weight on his left leg. He was 1-of 8-shooting before the injury, and the Timberwolves entered halftime down 54-50.
Edwards missed 11 of the team’s final 14 regular-season games because of a persistent issue in his right knee. He was listed as questionable for right knee injury management the first three games of this series and has been wearing a sleeve on his right leg.
Edwards’ hyperextension was the second concerning injury for the Timberwolves in the first half. Starting guard Donte DiVincenzo left 79 seconds into Game 4 after suffering a noncontact lower right leg injury.
DiVincenzo missed a 3 at the 10:44 mark of the first quarter and planted to go chase the offensive rebound when his right leg gave out, sending him to the floor grabbing at the back of his foot and ankle area.
The Timberwolves called timeout at the 10:41 mark. DiVincenzo called over the trainers. He needed help into the locker room, and the team ruled him out for the game several minutes later.
DiVincenzo has been a key factor in the Timberwolves building a 2-1 first-round series lead over the Nuggets, scoring 12, 16 and 15 points in the first three games.
He started all 82 games for the Timberwolves in the regular season and averaged 12.2 points, making 244 3s, the sixth most in the NBA. He is in the third season of a four-year, $46.8 million contract. He will be on a $12.5 million expiring deal next season.
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