SAN ANTONIO (AP) 鈥� Anthony Edwards announced to the San Antonio Spurs he had returned 鈥� not that anyone in the sold-out Frost Bank Center needed to be told.
The Timberwolves guard made an unexpected return 10 days after hyperextending his left knee, leading Monday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
After hitting his first 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining in the first quarter, Edwards turned to the Spurs bench and screamed: 鈥淚鈥檓 back! I鈥檓 back!鈥�
They were already fully aware.
The four-time All-Star had 18 points, including 11 in the final quarter as the Timberwolves held on to hand the Spurs just the second loss in their past 17 series openers at home.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of who he is,鈥� San Antonio guard Dylan Harper said. 鈥淪uperstar in this league. He鈥檚 going to come back and have games like that even though he hasn鈥檛 played for a little bit.鈥�
Edwards, who averaged 36.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in three games against the Spurs this season, has stated previously that he enjoys competing against San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.
They had another duel in Game 1.
Wembanyama had 11 points, 15 rebounds and set an NBA postseason record with 12 blocked shots.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think me coming back was because of nothing they got going on,鈥� Edwards said. 鈥淚t was more so I want to be out there with my brothers. Yeah, just that simple.鈥�
Edwards was expected to miss at least the first two games of the series in San Antonio, but the 6-foot-4 guard expedited his rehabilitation to play in the opener. He was cleared to play 90 minutes before the scheduled tipoff Monday night when Minnesota coach Chris Finch simply said: 鈥淗e’s in.鈥�
鈥淗e loves to play the game,鈥� Finch said. 鈥淲e dodged a bullet when it happened. He鈥檚 done an incredible job. Our medical staff has done an unbelievable job of getting him to this point. And he was super motivated by the fact that we were able to get that first series. I think that was kind of a little bit of an inspiration for him, too, just gave him something to work towards.鈥�
Edwards suffered a bone bruise, in addition to hyperextending his left knee, against Denver.
鈥淚 think I got the best physical therapist in the world with David Hines,” Edwards said of the Timberwolves’ vice president of medical operations and performance. “So, just trusting him and working through all the pain that I felt throughout the first two days, three days, and just getting in the pool, running on it. Band work. Just a lot of resistance. So, yeah, he got me right.鈥�
Edwards did not start, but played 25 minutes off the bench, including 9:52 in the final quarter.
鈥淓verybody in the arena is against us,鈥� Edwards said. 鈥淵eah, I think that鈥檚 the best thing about it. You start on the road, everybody got on pink, blue, and whatever color shirts there is, chanting 鈥楪o Spurs Go,鈥� and doing all that. I鈥檓 with Minnesota. I got Minnesota back at all times.
鈥淚鈥檓 out there with my brothers and we鈥檙e going to war.鈥�
It was uncertain if Edwards will start Game 2 on Wednesday or if his minutes restriction will be lifted, but he is ready regardless.
鈥淚 felt great,鈥� Edwards said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 limited at all. And just whatever coach needs from me.鈥�
Edwards averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 61 games during the regular season. He averaged 36.7 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds in three games against San Antonio this season.
鈥淲e figured he would want to play,鈥� Spurs forward Julian Champagnie said. 鈥淪o, we went over him as if he was playing. There was no difference in the strategy. There was no difference in what we were trying to do. This is what he wants to do. This is what we鈥檙e going to do to counter it. May the best man win. That鈥檚 just what it was. We鈥檒l just go back to the drawing board.鈥�
The Timberwolves were 2-1 against the Spurs during the regular season.
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