Edwards' 18th technical foul means another suspension, this time for Timberwolves' meaningful finale

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Much of this season for the Minnesota Timberwolves has been harder than it needed to be, so it's fitting they might have to play their final game — which they need to win to improve their seed for the playoffs — without star Anthony Edwards.

Edwards was slapped with his NBA -high 18th technical foul of the season for using profanity to complain about a call in Minnesota's 117-91 win over Brooklyn on Friday night, prompting an automatic suspension for the next game against Utah on Sunday.

NBA rules dictate a one-game suspension for any player who reaches 16 technical fouls during the regular season. Each two additional technicals trigger another suspension.

The league has the right to review and rescind a technical foul, which the Timberwolves will hope for considering they lost at Utah on Feb. 28 the first time Edwards was suspended.

Edwards was whistled for a personal foul while closely guarding Brooklyn's Keon Johnson on the wing midway through the second quarter. After spreading his arms out in disbelief with a furrowed glance at official Ray Acosta, Edwards quickly got the technical, too.

Crew chief Bill Kennedy told a pool reporter after the game that the technical was assessed for the profanity used toward Acosta, which Edwards confirmed.

“I tried to play good defense. They called a foul," Edwards said, adding he then asked what the foul was while using profanity. "And he gave me a tech. I hope they look at it and rescind it, so I can play in a couple days.”

Edwards separately from the technicals has been fined six times for a total of $320,000 for various behaviors.

“I’m praying they rescind it," he added. "I don’t feel like it should’ve been a tech, but me and Ray got a good relationship. We talked it out after the fact. But I don’t think I deserved a tech for just that little gesture.”

The Timberwolves agreed.

“I did not really get a good or clear explanation of why the technical occurred. It didn’t seem like there was anything egregious or overly demonstrative,” coach Chris Finch said.

The Timberwolves (48-33) can still finish as high as fourth in the crowd of Western Conference contenders, which would come with home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They can also drop as low as eighth, which would require them to win a play-in game to get a spot in the bracket.

Minnesota is 16-4 since the loss to Utah with Edwards sitting out. The Jazz are tied with Washington for the NBA’s worst record at 17-64.

“We’ll try to see if he can appeal it and if not, everyone’s going to have to step up,” said Rudy Gobert, who matched his career high with 35 points against the Nets.

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