The Minnesota Timberwolves won Game 4, took a 3-1 lead over the Denver Nuggets, and still walked out of the night carrying a brutal cost. Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn right Achilles, while Anthony Edwards exited with a left knee injury that could keep him out for weeks.
DiVincenzo Suffers Torn Achilles In Game 4
DiVincenzo went down less than two minutes into Saturday’s matchup after missing a 3-pointer and planting his right leg while chasing the rebound. The play looked harmless at first. Then he reached back, moved toward the locker room, and the concern inside the arena quickly grew.
On Sunday, the Timberwolves confirmed the worst.
“An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), conducted by Dr. Craig Bennett at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine on DiVincenzo, revealed a ruptured right Achilles tendon, and he will undergo surgery this afternoon in New York by Dr. Martin O’Malley of the Hospital for Special Surgery, in collaboration with Timberwolves,” the statement read. “DiVincenzo is out indefinitely, and further updates of his progress will be provided when available.”
A Strange No. 0 Pattern Emerges
DiVincenzo also became part of a bizarre NBA playoff trend. He is now the fourth player wearing No. 0 to suffer an Achilles tear in the past year, joining Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton.
Lillard tore his left Achilles during last year’s first round. Tatum later tore his right Achilles in the second round. Haliburton then suffered the same injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
It sounds like superstition, but fans noticed fast. Four players. Same jersey number. Same devastating injury.
Finch Calls Injury Devastating
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch did not hide the emotional weight of the moment.
“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.”
That loss hurts even more because DiVincenzo had become one of Minnesota’s most dependable players. He started all 82 regular-season games and gave the Timberwolves steady shooting, defense, and toughness.
Edwards Also Leaves With Knee Injury
Then came another blow.
Just before halftime, Edwards landed awkwardly while contesting a shot and appeared to hyperextend his left knee. He stayed down briefly, slapped the floor in frustration, and needed help leaving the court.
Reports said Edwards has a bone bruise and hyperextension, but no ligament damage. Still, he is expected to miss multiple weeks.
Julius Randle later described his quiet exchange with Edwards.
“I just dapped him up,” Randle said. “There’s not much to say in those moments. … Somebody who’s going through those situations is processing a lot.”
Timberwolves Still Find A Way To Win0
Somehow, Minnesota did not fold.
Even without DiVincenzo and Edwards, the Timberwolves pulled away in the fourth quarter and beat Denver 112-96. Ayo Dosunmu delivered a huge spark off the bench, scoring a career-high 43 points and giving Minnesota exactly what it needed on a night full of bad news.
Still, the question now becomes simple: can the Timberwolves finish the series without both starting guards?
Game 5 shifts back to Denver, and Minnesota needs one more win to advance. However, with DiVincenzo done for the postseason and Edwards sidelined, the path suddenly looks much more dangerous.
Durant Also Misses Game 4 With Bone Bruise
In another playoff injury update, Kevin Durant was ruled out of Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers because of a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle.
“I think the bone bruise is the worst part about it,” Ime Udoka told reporters. “They did all the treatment and rehab and pushing the swelling out, but the pain from the bone bruise is the main thing and limited mobility.”
The playoffs are supposed to separate contenders from pretenders. This year, they are also testing which teams can survive the injury storm.
