Edwards and Towns lead Timberwolves into the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs for 1st time since 2004
PHOENIX (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
Their first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns served notice they might be ready to go even deeper.
Anthony Edwards scored 40 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 and the Timberwolves pulled away late to beat the Suns 122-116 on Sunday night and sweep the first-round playoff series.
The victory came after coach Chris Finch left the game late in the fourth after an inadvertent collision with Wolves guard Mike Conley. The team said he had a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee.
The success for Minnesota has been a long time coming, particularly for Towns, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 and waited nearly a decade to get his first playoff series win. Edwards is in his fourth season after being the No. 1 overall selection in 2020.