Was the Timberwolves' Triumph a Pyrrhic Victory?

A quick look at the headlines shows that the Timberwolves downed the Nuggets 112-96 Saturday night. That win gave Minnesota a 3-1 series advantage and put the Nuggets on the brink of elimination. However, a deeper look beyond the surface numbers paint a picture that is much grimmer for the Twin Cities squad.

Injuries Piling Up for Minnesota

Yes, Minnesota took Game 4 at home comfortably and now need just one win in three games in order to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The problem for the Timberwolves, other than the fact that Nikola Jokic is still a force for the Nuggets, is one of attrition. What was a short rotation in the first three games of the series was lengthened in Game 4 but only out of necessity.

First, it was Donte DiVincenzo going down in the opening 90 seconds of the contest. He suffered a non-contact injury when he attempted to chase down a rebound after a missed three-point attempt. DiVincenzo’s leg went out and he needed assistance getting off the floor. Shortly thereafter, he was ruled out for the contest. DiVincenzo wasn’t at the arena by the time the contest drew to a close.

If that wasn’t enough, with just under three minutes to go in the first half, Anthony Edwards sustained a knee injury trying to contest a shot. He took a rough spill on the floor and couldn’t put weight on his left leg. Like DiVincenzo, Edwards needed assistance to leave the floor. He was ruled out for the contest early in the third quarter.

The Fallout From Saturday

For starters, reports say DiVincenzo is done for the year with a torn Achilles. Should that be the case, he’ll miss the majority of, if not all, of next season. That’s a major blow for Minnesota, both short and long-term. He was sixth in the NBA with 244 three-pointers in the regular season. DiVincenzo averaged 14.3 ppg in the first three games of the series. Ayo Dosunmu logged 42 minutes in Game 4 and scored 43 points off the bench. Chris Finch may be forced to move him into the lineup.

As daunting as that injury is, the Edwards one may be more impactful. He missed 11 of the Timberwolves’ final 14 regular season games with a knee issue. Edwards had been on the injury report in each playoff contest as questionable with that knee issue. He led the Timberwolves with 28.8 points plus five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in the regular season.

His status was unclear as of late Saturday. Finch said that Edwards would undergo a MRI to determine the severity of the injury. If he misses any time, Minnesota will have issues. Mike Conley (21 minutes) and Bones Hyland (20) saw increased workloads in Game 4. Conley played more minutes Saturday than in the first three games (15) combined. The problem is, they don’t provide the kind of offensive production that Edwards did.

The Bottom Line

Minnesota finds itself in a rough spot right now. Normally, a team up 3-1 in a series is all smiles.  Instead, the Timberwolves face the Nuggets potentially down their starting backcourt.  They regrouped to win Saturday but it’s hard to see them sustaining that success, especially if Edwards misses any time.