Considering they’re playing the team with the worst record in the NBA, there sure is a lot of drama involved in the final game of the regular season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
There’s also a lot at stake when the Timberwolves (48-33) host the Jazz (17-64) in Minneapolis on a day when everybody else in the league also plays a matinee game.
The two big questions heading into Sunday’s regular season finale: 1) Will the Timberwolves make the playoffs or be forced to go the play-in route? And 2) Will Anthony Edwards be allowed to play on Sunday?
With what is at stake, the Timberwolves sure hope their star is available. Edwards is scheduled to sit out one game after acquiring his 18th technical foul of the season in Friday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets for swearing and gesturing while protesting a call.
“I tried to play good defense. They called a foul and he gave me a tech,” Edwards said. “I hope they look at it and rescind it, so I can play in a couple days.”
Minnesota is holding out hope that the NBA will review and rescind the foul, allowing him to go. The Timberwolves lost at Utah on Feb. 28 when Edwards was suspended for that game for picking up his 16th technical.
“I’m praying they rescind it,” Edwards said. “I don’t feel like it should’ve been a tech, but me and (referee) Ray (Acosta) got a good relationship. We talked it out after the fact. But I don’t think I deserved a tech for just that little gesture.”
Going into the final day, the Timberwolves are one of five teams with between 32-34 losses. The others include the Denver Nuggets (49-32), the Los Angeles Clippers (49-32), the Golden State Warriors (48-33) and the Memphis Grizzlies (47-34).
As it stands, Minnesota is slotted in the No. 7 spot out West. It would finish in the top six — either four, five or six, depending on other outcomes — and qualify for a playoff berth with a win over the Jazz. The T-Wolves hold tiebreaker advantages over the Nuggets and Clippers if they end up with the same record.
“We’ll try to see if he can appeal it, and if not, everyone’s going to have to step up,” said Rudy Gobert, who scored 35 points vs. the Nets.
As for the Jazz, they would finish with the worst record in the NBA with a loss. Washington, which plays at Miami, has the same record so those two would end up tied if they match the other’s outcome.
Jazz owner Ryan Smith joined his team’s live broadcast on Friday in the home finale loss to Oklahoma City. He acknowledged that this has been a year of growth for the rebuilding franchise.
“We’re in the talent development business. When you do get it (picks) right or a lot of them right, you can develop a pipeline where it can go for a long, long time,” Smith said. “If we look at Kyle (Filipowski), he’s a super-smart big man who can shoot. …
“Every one of these guys has a story, and it’s pretty impressive,” he continued. “There definitely is a jump between years. It’s going to be a very busy offseason for these guys to really get right. If you look at our staff, they’re really, really good at helping these guys and communicating with them. They’re working together.”
