On Friday, February 21, the Minnesota Timberwolves went down to the Houston Rockets 121-115, marking their fifth loss in the last ten games. The game saw Anthony Edwards deliver a power-packed performance with 37 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Jalen Green from the Rockets came up with 35 points.
While Edwards topped the score sheet yet again, it wasn’t his stellar performance that put him in the headlines by the end of the game. As the Timberwolves aimed for their second straight win, the Timberwolves guard edged closer to the mandatory suspension as he was whistled for a technical foul in the first quarter.
The 23-year-old, who was back on court after pulling out of the All-Star Game last week due to groin injury, was whistled for the foul after he missed a dunk and seemingly complained about not getting the call. The tech marks his 13th tech and puts him three fouls closer to the mandatory NBA suspension that a player gets once they cross the 16-foul mark.
As per the rule, in case a player records 16 technical fouls in a year, they will be served with a one-game suspension as well as a $5,000 fine. The foul was later rescinded as the league apparently checked that Edwards had spiked the ball after the horn blew.
Anthony Edwards engages in heated altercation with fan during clash against Rockets
Apart from edging closer to the foul limit, Edwards found himself in center of another controversy during the clash against the Rockets. The three-time NBA All-Star risked a major penalty from the league as he engaged in a heated altercation with a Rockets fan.
The incident occurred during the end of the first half when the Timberwolves were heading to the tunnel, when the youngster started to argue with someone, who is speculated to be a fan who was sitting at the courtside.
Things could get more heated as the Georgia-born almost attacked the fan, but was held back by a Wolves staff member while a police official approached to avoid any mishap.
This isn’t the first time that ‘Ant-Man’ has found himself in the middle of controversy which has cost him more than $250K. If things hadn’t gotten in control, it would have, once again, affected his pockets.
Coming back to his performance, while Edwards displayed a brilliant performance with 37 points, it didn’t prove to be enough to help Minnesota move past the victory line. While he was impressive throughout the game, his effort fell short in the final quarter and he ended up scoring only three points.
Moreover, in the final two minutes of the game, Edwards missed a crucial shot, while Jaden McDaniels missed a game-tying 3 pointer, helping the Rockets seal the deal.
Talking about individual performances, while Edwards scored 37 points, Naz Reid came up with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Jaden McDaniels had 21 points to contribute.
On the other hand, Jalen Green gave a tough fight to Edwards and scored 35 points, five rebounds and four assists. Alperen Sengun chipped in 24 points, 13 rebounds and two assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 15 points.
The Timberwolves take on the Western Conference toppers Thunder in upcoming back-to-back clashes on Sunday, February 23 and Monday, February 24.
