After review by the league office, the NBA on Saturday rescinded a technical foul given to Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards in Friday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Edwards had been scheduled to sit out Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz after acquiring his 18th technical foul of the season for swearing and gesturing while protesting a call in the 117-91 home win.
“I tried to play good defense. They called a foul and he gave me a tech,” Edwards said after the game. “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.”
Edwards, 23, received a league-mandated suspension in late February after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season.
Edwards boasts a team-best average in points (27.4) and is tied for second in assists (4.5) to go along with 5.7 rebounds in 78 games (all starts) this season.
A three-time All-Star, Edwards has contributed 23.8 points, 5.3 boards and 4.2 assists in 380 career games (362 starts) since being selected by the Timberwolves with the top overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.
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.
