Anthony Edwards was listed as questionable on the injury report Friday because of right knee injury maintenance, even as the Timberwolves put in a higher-intensity practice in Denver ahead of Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets on Saturday, April 19. Edwards worked through drills with player development coach Chris Hines at the end of practice, then stayed after everyone else had left to get in extra work before walking out of the arena with ice on both knees.
There did not appear to be any concern from the team that Edwards was in jeopardy of missing the game. Coach Chris Finch said Minnesota flew to Denver early on Thursday, April 16, so it could adjust to the altitude and the surroundings before the series opened. “We came here so we could get up and down a little bit and just kind of get used to the environment,” Finch said. “And that’s what we always do in the playoffs. We always travel out early. Not just a walkthrough, but it’s a little more spirited.”
The day’s work fit the stakes. Denver’s zone defense has been a real test in the postseason before, and Finch said the Wolves spent part of their preparation on how to attack it. “We have different playmakers that we can put in the middle of zone, which is key, but we’ve figured out a few other concepts that work for us,” he said. “Admittedly, the first time we played Denver at home like they came out in his own and caught us completely by surprise, and we weren’t good there. Like all teams, we will go through periods where we get a little stagnant, but I feel really good about our zone offense right now.”
Jaden McDaniels, who said he was fine after the walkthrough and was not listed on the injury report, sounded more focused on the rhythm of the trip than on the workload. “I feel good. I wasn’t too tired,” he said. “And then just getting used to the altitude. I mean, we’ve been to play here before, so it’s nothing we ain’t got used to before.” Minnesota also has to account for what Denver is missing. Peyton Watson was expected to miss his sixth game in a row with a right hamstring strain, while Spencer Jones was questionable with the same injury.
Finch said Joe Ingles has been central to the Wolves’ playoff preparation as the scout-team opponent for Nikola Jokic, noting his “high-level of basketball IQ” and his impact on the young unit. Ingles is in his fourth season with Minnesota, where he has averaged 14.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game, and Finch said, “Joe’s been amazing in every capacity for us. A lot of it has to do with his impact on that young unit, that third unit.” With Edwards still listed as questionable but finishing practice the way he did, Minnesota looks more like a team managing the edges of a playoff series than one waiting on a rescue.