Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was on thin ice with the NBA and needed to stay out of the crosshairs of the officials in a Thursday night matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Edwards led the league with 14 technical fouls entering the game.
At the end of the first quarter, Edwards gave former Timberwolves teammate Jarred Vanderbilt a shove for his first technical. Here’s the little altercation at the end of the first quarter between Jarred Vanderbilt and Anthony Edwards, who both received technical fouls.
Edwards is now one tech away from a one-game suspension. pic.twitter.com/StpU1K3F34 — Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) February 28, 2025
In the third quarter, Edwards picked up his second technical and was ejected. He threw the ball into the crowd on his exit from the Crypto Arena floor. Ant gets his second T and then throws the ball in the crowd, the replay of both pic.twitter.com/FJIKUmvrsO — CJ Fogler (@cjzero) February 28, 2025
Reaching 16 technical fouls on the season, Edwards will be suspended by the NBA on Friday.
He will sit out one game and have to pay a $5,000 fine — totaling $290,000 in fines this season, the most by any player.
It was Edwards’ third ejection of his career, and he’s currently totaled $434,000 in career fines, according to Spotrac. Edwards has struggled to keep his composure when challenging officials’ calls this season and is not shy of voicing his critique.
In November, he was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture on the court. In December, he was fined $100,000 for profanity during a live television interview and $75,000 for a profanity-fueled criticism of the officiating and $25,000 for profanity in a media interview.
In January, he was fined $50,000 for for making obscene gestures toward a game official.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards reacts to a call by the referee. Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Despite his behavior, the 23-year-old remains one of the NBA’s most magnetic personalities and scorers.
Before his ejection, Edward was averaging the fourth-most points (27.5) per game in the league.
Losing the heart of their offense, the Timberwolves struggled down the stretch to the Lakers and must find an answer against the Utah Jazz on Friday.
The Timberwolves welcomed Donte DiVincenzo back to their rotation on Thursday after a 19-game absence due to a toe injury. Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert remain out and are unlikely to play on Friday.
