The Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday will play their final game of the 2024-25 NBA regular season—one with big playoff implications—without superstar Anthony Edwards.
Edwards will serve a one-game suspension after being whistled for his 18th technical foul of the season during Minnesota's 117-91 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. Per NBA rules, players are suspended one game once they reach 16 technical fouls on the season, and they are penalized with an additional one-game suspension for every two technical fouls after reaching that mark.
Edwards was assessed the technical foul for arguing a call in the second quarter. Following the game, crew chief Bill Kennedy spoke to a pool reporter to explain referee Ray Acosta's controversial decision to hand Edwards the tech.
"Anthony Edwards was assessed a technical foul for use of profanity directed toward an official," veteran crew chief Bill Kennedy said to a pool reporter after the game.
And when asked to clarify that profanity is what he heard, Kennedy responded, "That's correct."
The Timberwolves will enter the final regular season game against the Utah Jazz with a 48-33 record. If they win, they will avoid the play-in tournament altogether and would clinch either the No. 4, No. 5 or No. 6 seeds in the Western Conference based on other results around the league.
But if they lose to Utah—like they did in February when Edwards served his one-game suspension for a 16th tech—Minnesota will be heading to the play-in tournament.
Of course, there is still the possibility that the NBA rescinds Edwards's 18th technical foul, allowing him to play in an important 82nd game. But if the league doesn't, Minnesota will go on without him.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Ref Explains Anthony Edwards's Technical Foul That Landed Him One-Game Suspension.