Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards had his 18th technical foul of the season rescinded by the NBA on Saturday, clearing Edwards of a one-game suspension for the Wolves’ regular-season finale on Sunday.
Edwards was assessed a technical foul in the second quarter of Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. The All-Star took exception to a foul call by referee Ray Acosta, who quickly issued a technical foul.
Crew chief Bill Kennedy said Edwards received a technical foul “for use of profanity directed toward an official.”
Edwards acknowledged using profanity in his exchange with Acosta but said he did not think it merited a technical foul.
“I was playing defense, they called a foul, and I said, ‘Where was the effin’ foul?’ And he gave me a tech,” Edwards said. “I hope they look at it and rescind it so I can play in a couple days.”
Edwards leads the NBA in technical fouls and was suspended once when he picked up his 16th foul and missed a game against the Jazz on Feb. 28. The Wolves lost that game 117-116.
“I’m praying they rescind it,” Edwards said. “Because I don’t feel like it should’ve been a tech. Me and Ray got a good relationship. We talked it out after the fact, but I still don’t feel like I deserved a tech for just that little (exchange).”
Wolves coach Chris Finch said he could tell Edwards was getting agitated with some missed calls in the first quarter. The coach urged Edwards to let it go, but he also said Edwards had a right to be upset with how the game was officiated. Finch said he thought Acosta’s call on Edwards that preceded the technical foul was “an unfortunate whistle.”
“I don’t know the specifics that were said, so I don’t think it was anything overly offensive, certainly didn’t think it warranted a technical,” Finch said.
Edwards finished the game with nine points on 4-for-11 shooting, and the Wolves cruised to a 117-91 victory over a Nets team that sat most of its regular players. Rudy Gobert tied his career high with 35 points and added 11 rebounds, while Julius Randle went 5 for 6 from 3-point range and scored 21 points.
The Wolves entered the game in eighth place in the Western Conference standings. After Friday’s victory, they would clinch a top-six seed with a win over the tanking Jazz on Sunday.
Depending on what happens with other games in the log-jammed West, the Wolves could still rise as high as fourth in the conference. Missing their leading scorer and best player will complicate that pursuit.
The league resets the technical foul count at the start of the playoffs, so Edwards is not in immediate danger of another suspension once the postseason begins.
(Photo: Bruce Kluckhohn / USA Today via Imagn Images)