Wolves’ Edwards facing suspension after two techs vs. Lakers
LOS ANGELES — Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards faces an automatic one-game suspension after picking up two technical fouls in Thursday’s 111-102 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, giving him 16 this season.
Edwards will have to sit out Friday’s road game against the Utah Jazz unless one of his technicals against the Lakers is rescinded upon review by the league office.
Sixteen technical fouls triggers a one-game suspension. Every two technical fouls after that result in another one-game suspension.
The slate is wiped clean for the playoffs, when seven technicals result in a one-game suspension.
Edwards is the first player to receive 16 technical fouls before March since DeMarcus Cousins in 2016-17, according to ESPN Research.
Edwards was ejected Thursday after drawing his second technical foul with 5:21 left in the third quarter.
As Edwards walked toward the tunnel, he tossed the ball into the crowd, drawing a delay-of-game warning.
Edwards and Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt were called for technical fouls when they exchanged shoves at the end of the first quarter.
Edwards’ second technical occurred after he complained about a non-call when he felt he was fouled on a drive.
PHOENIX — The injuries have taken a toll on Zion Williamson during his six-year NBA career. So have the losses.
But on nights like Thursday, there are tantalizing reminders of how much talent the 2019 No. 1 pick still possesses.
Williamson had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double in the New Orleans Pelicans’ 124-116 win over the Phoenix Suns. The Pelicans have won three straight games, matching their longest streak of the season.
“It’s a reminder to the NBA, to the fans, to everybody,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “This is who he can be, night in and night out. That’s what we’re all striving to accomplish as a group. We’re striving to get our best player on the floor.”
Williamson grabbed his 10th rebound with 1:36 left, setting off a celebration by his teammates. The bruising 6-foot-6, 284-pound forward — whose playing time is limited as the Pelicans try to keep him healthy — needed only 31 minutes on the court to achieve the triple-double.
“It’s dope,” Williamson said. “It’s funny, there have been so many times when I felt it could have happened, but I never forced the issue. Tonight, my teammates were like, ‘No, you’ve got to get it tonight.’
“So I got to thank my coach and my teammates.”
Williamson’s big night was an encouraging moment in a tough season. Even after their three-game winning streak, the Pelicans have a 16-43 record and are far out of the playoff hunt.
One of the biggest reasons the Pelicans have struggled is because Williamson sat out about two months because of a hamstring injury, adding to a litany of medical issues since he was selected with the No. 1 pick out of Duke. But the potential is obvious — he has been an All-Star in the two seasons in which he has played at least 60 games.
Key questions surrounding Williamson — who is under contract for three more seasons — have centered on his health, maturity and even his commitment. At times, he has struggled with his weight and conditioning.
This season, he was suspended one game after repeated violations of team policies, the tipping point was being late for a team flight.
Against the Suns, none of that mattered. He made two tough buckets in the paint down the stretch to help the Pelicans seal the victory and his 11 assists matched a career high. He made 13 of 17 shots and joined Steven Adams (2021) as the only Pelicans players with 75% shooting in a triple-double.
“He was fantastic and carried us down the stretch,” Green said. “He’s been amazing.”
And here’s the thing: Williamson is still only 24 years old. He’s averaging 24.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season — all around his career highs — despite playing about 28 minutes per night.
“These nights are big for the confidence and a reminder of who I am,” Williamson said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
ESPN
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Anthony Edwards will be receiving a stern letter or two from the NBA soon.
The Minnesota Timberwolves star was ejected from Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers via a double technical foul and is now facing a one-game suspension after hitting 16 technical fouls on the season. He can avoid the suspension if one of the techs is rescinded.
Edwards not only was ejected, but also lingered on the court and threw the ball into the Crypto.com Arena crowd, meaning an increased fine is also looming. He had been incensed by a non-call midway through the third quarter.
It was the third ejection of Edwards’ career.
Edwards was ejected from a game in which his team could have certainly used him. He left with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers, while none of his teammates had scored more than 10 points. The Lakers led 74-59 at the time.
The Timberwolves remained competitive into the fourth quarter, at one point cutting the Lakers’ lead to three points, but L.A. ended up getting the 111-102 win.
If Edwards does receive a suspension, Minnesota’s next game is Friday against the Utah Jazz, followed by a Sunday game against the Phoenix Suns if the punishment takes more than a night to go through.
Edwards has been shouldering a larger load than ever for the Timberwolves this season, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, turnovers and minutes per game, while also posting a career-high .535 effective field-goal percentage.
Anthony Edwards likely to be suspended after picking up 16th technical foul
Edwards will have to sit out Friday’s game in Utah unless one of his technicals against the Lakers is rescinded upon review by the league office.
Joe Reedy | Associated Press
Anthony Edwards was ejected Thursday night in L.A. after drawing his 2nd technical foul of the game with 5:21 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will likely be suspended for one game after being ejected and picking up his 16th technical foul of the season during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Edwards also could draw a fine after throwing the ball into the stands after being ejected.
NBA rules state a player receives a one-game suspension after picking up 16 technical fouls in a season. For every two additional technicals, the suspension will increase by one game.
Los Angeles’ Jarred Vanderbilt and Edwards received technical fouls before the start of the second quarter after both shoved each other at the end of the first quarter.
Edwards, who came into the game fourth in the league in scoring at 27.5 points per game, then received his second technical with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter for arguing a foul call.
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Clark was on a 2-way deal that was converted to a standard contract through next season, which makes him eligible for the postseason.
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