Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will likely be suspended for one game after being ejected and picking up his 16th technical foul of the season during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Edwards also could draw a fine after throwing the ball into the stands after being ejected.
“He’s got to be better. He’s had too many outbursts. I think a lot of them are deserved,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said about Edwards after the 111-102 loss. “They’re going to miss some calls from time to time for sure. We’ve been talking to him about it. It’s on him.”
Crew chief James Williams said in a pool report that Edwards received his second technical for directing profanity toward an official. Edwards was upset after he felt Lakers guard Gabe Vincent should have been called for a blocking foul as Edwards tried to drive.
Finch did come to Edwards’ defense in saying that he felt like a foul should have been called.
“It was a block. Just call the block and nothing happens,” Finch said. “After that, I don’t really know what was said and what was not said. Clearly, it was a block right in front of me.”
The Timberwolves trailed 74-59 when Edwards was ejected with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter. They rallied to within three midway through the fourth quarter before losing.
NBA rules state a player receives a one-game suspension after picking up 16 technical fouls in a season. For every two additional technicals, the suspension will increase by one game.
"Anthony Edwards is way too emotional at times and last night was evidence of that," WCCO's Henry Lake said on the WCCO Morning News Friday. "You just can't put yourself in position to get ejected from the basketball game. You know where the line is. You can't screw up."
Los Angeles’ Jarred Vanderbilt and Edwards received technical fouls before the start of the second quarter after both shoved each other at the end of the first quarter.
"He has to be better. I don't see how any Timberwolves fan can't see that," Lake explained.
Edwards, who is fourth in the league in scoring at 27.3 points per game, had 18 points in 26 minutes. Now the Wolves will be without Edwards - at a time when they're missing other key pieces like Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle.
Minnesota’s next game is Friday night at Utah.
"It's unacceptable. You know that you're playing shorthanded. To put yourself and your teammates in that situations, you just can't do it," Lake said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.