Is Anthony Edwards playing tonight? Latest injury update for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Ball Arena to face MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic and the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Friday night with the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference at stake.

Minnesota (50-22) trails Denver (51-22) by only half a game in the standings and has split the head-to-head matchup thus far this season. So not only can the Timberwolves take sole possession of first place in the West on Friday, but they also have a chance to claim the tiebreaker between them and the Nuggets ahead of their fourth and final meeting on Apr. 10.

But will the Wolves have ascending All-Star wing Anthony Edwards for the must-win game against the Nuggets? He is questionable for the clash in Denver with lower back spasms, per the official injury report of the NBA.

Is Anthony Edwards playing tonight? Latest Injury update

Despite the questionable tag, Edwards reportedly participated in the Timberwolves morning shootaround on Friday and “looked fine,” according to Christopher Hine of the Star Tribune.

“I’d be surprised if he didn’t suit up,” Hine added.

While that doesn’t mean Edwards playing is a foregone conclusion, it appears that the 2020 No. 1 overall pick is on track to play when the Wolves face the Nuggets at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, barring any setbacks.

Edwards has enjoyed a breakout year in 2023-24, averaging career-highs in points (26.2) and assists (5.2) per game, improving his shooting percentages across the board (.464/.373/.827) compared to previous seasons.

Taking down the Nuggets sans Edwards on the road would be a tall task for the Wolves while putting a damper on what should be a highly competitive affair with a playoff atmosphere as two teams fight for conference supremacy. But that won’t be the case if his partaking in shootaround is any indication.