The Minnesota Timberwolves lost two starters before the end of the first half of Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets. Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards both suffered leg injuries before halftime, with both players later ruled out of the game.
DiVincenzo’s injury occurred after playing only one minute and 19 seconds, with the guard sustaining an apparent non-contact injury. He was later diagnosed with a torn right Achilles tendon, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
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Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch addressed the injury after the game, a 110-96 win:
“Completely devastating for Donte. He’s had such a great season. He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do. You could see the look in his eye when it happened and you knew. We’ll love him and be there for him.
DiVincenzo went down after he missed a 3-point attempt, then planted his leg in an attempt to go after the rebound. The guard immediately headed to the locker room, though he was able to walk under his own power; the Timberwolves ruled him out shortly afterward.
At halftime, the broadcast showed footage of DiVincenzo in a wheelchair, with a splint cast on his right leg.
Then, right before the end of the first half, Edwards landed awkwardly on his left leg, appearing to hyperextend his knee. He fell to the ground, staying down for a moment while slapping the court in frustration; he needed help to walk into the tunnel.
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Edwards was assessed by trainers during halftime, with Mike Conley stepping in at point guard to start the second half. Partway through the third quarter, the team announced that Edwards had also been ruled out of the game, with a left knee injury.
Per Charania, Edwards is currently undergoing additional testing on his knee.
Minnesota entered Saturday’s game with a 2-1 series lead over the Nuggets. For a moment, it looked as though Denver would tie the series, with the Nuggets holding the narrow lead throughout most of the second and third quarters. But the Timberwolves pulled away in the fourth quarter to eventually earn the win.
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With Edwards and DiVincenzo out, Ayo Dosunmu stepped up huge for Minnesota, scoring a career-high 43 points off the bench. Per the broadcast, Dosunmu was only the fourth player in NBA history to hit 40+ points off the bench in a playoff game.
