What happened between Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant that sent Minnesota Timberwolves star to the locker room?

The Minnesota Timberwolves faced a moment of uncertainty on Friday night when star guard Anthony Edwards went down after a collision with Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant. Edwards had to be escorted to the locker room after taking a hit to the face during the first quarter. The Ant-Man returned to the court, but the hard blow on his nose was a serious concern for the Timberwolves and their fans at the moment.

When 2:43 was left in the first quarter, Anthony Edwards attempted to intercept a pass intended for Kevin Durant, but in the process, Durant’s arm caught him across the nose. The impact sent Edwards to the ground in visible pain, where he remained for a minute before walking off with assistance. The incident initially sparked concerns about a possible serious injury, as Edwards had a towel covering his face while heading to the locker room.
Dane Moore of Blue Wire described the incident, stating, “Anthony Edwards headed to the locker room with a towel over his face after a collision with Kevin Durant. Looked like he maybe got poked in the eye or something.” Similarly, Duane Rankin of azcentral reported, “Anthony Edwards went down as he and Kevin Durant were going for the ball.”
Edwards’ absence in the second quarter raised alarms for Timberwolves fans, considering his exceptional season, where he has averaged 27.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on 44.1% shooting. With Minnesota sitting in eighth place and just a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the final guaranteed playoff spot, every game is crucial.
Despite the injury scare, Edwards returned in the second half and finished the game with 20 points, helping the Timberwolves secure a 124-109 victory over the Suns. The win marked a four-game season sweep for Minnesota over Phoenix and extended their winning streak against the Suns to seven games. Edwards is currently averaging 23.7 points per game.
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Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 25 points, while Collin Gillespie stepped up with a career-high 22 points and nine assists. On the other side, Durant finished with 23 points for the Suns, who have now dropped two straight games after winning four in a row. Phoenix also continued to struggle without Bradley Beal, who missed his sixth consecutive game due to a left hamstring injury.