Edwards says Timberwolves prepared to ‘flip the switch’ for playoff opener in Denver
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MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards believes the Minnesota Timberwolves can rediscover their top form when the NBA postseason begins Saturday in Denver, despite an uneven final three months of the regular season.
The four-time All-Star guard drew motivation last week when Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett received a roaring ovation during his first appearance at Target Center in eight years. Edwards sprinted across the court for a bear hug and later called Garnett “the greatest Timberwolf of all time,” adding that he hopes the franchise icon returns during the playoffs “to give us some energy.”
Minnesota has reached the Western Conference finals in each of the past two seasons and enters this year’s playoffs leaning on that experience. Head coach Chris Finch acknowledged the club’s inconsistency but said the roster is capable of an immediate uptick. “You don’t ever really want to be a flip-the-switch team, but we do have a switch to flip, and we have to flip it now,” Finch said after Wednesday’s practice.
Edwards, who averaged career highs of 28.8 points on 48.9% shooting and 39.9% from three-point range in 2025-26, conceded the group occasionally coasted. “It felt like we were just trying to get through the season to get to the playoffs, but we’re here now, and all the other excuses are out the window,” he said.
Defense has been Minnesota’s biggest slide. The Timberwolves finished eighth in defensive rating after ranking sixth last season and first two years ago. Center Rudy Gobert said the team must bring immediate intensity against the defending champion Nuggets: “We’re facing a great opponent, and we know that if we don’t come out hungry, we don’t have a chance.”
Edwards is expected to be fully available after appearing in a career-low 61 games and sitting out eight of the final 11 with knee pain. During the layoff, he reduced his weight to 218 pounds, his lightest since he was 18. “I haven’t played a lot in the last month,” he noted, “so I’m trying to get back in shape.”
The Timberwolves and Nuggets tip off their first-round series Saturday night at Ball Arena.
Source: ESPN
