The NBA has fined Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards $25,000 for using profane language during a media session following the team’s 107-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors on December 6.
Aware of the fine, Edwards declined to speak to the media after the Timberwolves’ 114-106 loss to the Warriors on Sunday to avoid risking another penalty.
Edwards’ frustration was apparent after Sunday’s loss, where he scored 27 points but struggled in the fourth quarter, shooting just 1-of-7 with two turnovers.
During the locker room media scrum, his anger could be overheard as he expressed disappointment in his performance. “I just gotta f–king play better. I gotta find my teammates. F–king terrible by me,” he said.
The defeat dropped the Timberwolves to 12-11 for the season, marking an inconsistent start after their 56-26 record last year. Despite the setback, the Timberwolves had shown progress, winning four straight games prior to Sunday.
Julius Randle remained optimistic about the team’s future, stating, “We’ve shown flashes. Up and down, but we’ve shown flashes of who we can be, especially on the defensive end.”
Teammate Rudy Gobert shared similar sentiments, emphasizing the team’s growth and accountability. “A game like tonight, we can exactly feel what happened. With that mindset, I think good things will happen,” Gobert said.
The Timberwolves are also adjusting to the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns, who was traded to the New York Knicks in a three-team deal in October. The trade brought in Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and a future first-round pick, forcing Edwards to take on a more prominent offensive role.
While Edwards is averaging 26.4 points per game on 45.3% shooting from the field and 42.7% from beyond the arc, his 4 assists to 3.1 turnovers ratio highlights areas for improvement.
The Warriors, meanwhile, avenged their earlier loss to Minnesota with a late-game surge on Sunday. Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, and Jonathan Kuminga combined for 77 points, while Gary Payton II made critical defensive plays.
Minnesota led 106-105 with 4:47 left, but the Warriors held the Timberwolves scoreless for the remainder of the game, closing with a decisive 9-0 run. Curry led the charge with 30 points, Hield added 27, and Kuminga contributed 20, sealing only Golden State’s second win in their past eight games.
