Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards left the bench and the court during a timeout late in Wednesday’s 126-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The unplanned exit occurred with 7:52 remaining after Edwards reportedly disagreed with coach Chris Finch’s decision to pull starters while trailing 109-80.
Edwards, who scored 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting, did not speak to reporters following the game. Finch addressed the situation, saying, “Obviously frustrated with the performance and rightfully so, but he needs to stay out on the floor and root for his team.”
The Timberwolves struggled from the start, giving up eight offensive rebounds in the first quarter and allowing Atlanta to control transition opportunities. Finch noted the team “looked slow everywhere” and credited the Hawks’ energy and execution.
Julius Randle added 19 points and seven rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels contributed eight points in 22 minutes. Rudy Gobert managed six points and 11 rebounds despite Minnesota being outmatched on the boards.
Atlanta’s balanced attack included 34 points from Jalen Johnson and 16 from Kristaps Porzingis off the bench. Dyson Daniels also contributed 11 points and nine assists, helping the Hawks maintain a dominant lead throughout the second quarter.
Finch acknowledged recent challenges but emphasized long-term perspective, noting that the Timberwolves have “played good basketball most of the season” and face “another tough game coming up against a team that plays really, really hard and runs full court.”
The coach also highlighted areas for improvement, including defensive spacing, transition positioning, and rebounding. He stressed team cohesion and resilience, stating, “Every team goes through stretches like this. They’ll hang together.”
