Edwards eager to bring Garnett-like energy to playoffs



Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards heard the ovation Kevin Garnett was getting from the Minnesota crowd and hustled across the court for a pregame bear hug, as the Hall of Fame forward and Timberwolves icon was soaking in his warm welcome from the fans last week.

Edwards found plenty of inspiration from Garnett's first visit to Target Center in eight years, at the end of a rather uninspiring regular season for the team overall.

“He’s the greatest Timberwolf of all time,” Edwards said after practice on Wednesday. "That was big for us, getting him back in the building, and hopefully we can get him back for the playoffs to give us some energy.”

After the reaching the Western Conference finals in each of the last two years, the Timberwolves will take plenty of confidence and experience into these NBA playoffs beginning on Saturday at Denver. But they'll have to show some serious reinvigoration from the so-so performance over the last three months.

“We know the team we can be and who we have been. It’s about whether we can maintain that,” coach Chris Finch said. “You don’t ever really want to be a flip-the-switch team, but we do have a switch to flip, and we have to flip it now. When we do that, everybody kind of becomes the best version of themselves and that brings out that continuity and connection that we need.”

Just like Garnett fueled the Timberwolves teams of a previous generation, culminating in their Western Conference finals appearance in 2004, the engine of the current group originates with Edwards.

The four-time All-Star guard, who has helped lead Minnesota to the playoffs in five of his six years in the NBA, has been part of the problem this season during certain lulls in the team's focus and spirit.

“It felt like that at times, like we were just trying to get through the season to get to the playoffs, but we’re here now, and all the other excuses are out the window,” said Edwards, who averaged 28.8 points per game in 2025-26 on 48.9% shooting including 39.9% from 3-point range, all career highs.

Minnesota's biggest regression this season was on defense, finishing eighth in the league in defensive rating after placing sixth in 2024-25 and first in 2023-24. That uneven focus and spirit undoubtedly did the most damage to the results at this end of the court.

“When our group doesn’t have a choice, usually it shows up, and so once again it’s all in our hands. It’s all in our power,” center Rudy Gobert said. “We’re facing a great opponent, and we know that if we don’t come out hungry, we don’t have a chance.”

Edwards, for his part, will be well-rested. He was limited to a career-low 61 games this season, sidelined for eight of the last 11 games with persistent knee pain. But he said on Wednesday he used the time to trim some body fat and reduce his weight to 218 pounds — his lowest since he was 18.

“I haven’t played a lot in the last month," Edwards said, “so I'm trying to get back in shape.”



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A Republican lawmaker charged in an alcohol-related driving offense won’t have to appear in court again until after the Legislature adjourns for the year.

A June 10 arraignment hearing is set for Rep. Elliott Engen, a Lino Lakes Republican who faces three misdemeanor charges following an arrest early Friday. He was stopped for speeding and other infractions in White Bear Lake; officers detected alcohol and he later tested well above the legal limit for driving, according to a citation.

Engen has apologized for a lapse in judgment; he promised to learn from his actions and “do better.” Aside from being a second-term legislator, he is also a candidate for state auditor.

A second lawmaker, GOP Rep. Walter Hudson, was in Engen’s truck at the time of the stop and an open bottle of alcohol was found in a rear seat. Hudson, a second-term legislator from Albertville, was in possession of a permitted handgun, which could cause him legal problems if he is determined to have been intoxicated.

Police officers wrote in their report that Hudson disclosed he had the gun as the truck was being searched. The report said police took the firearm for safekeeping and said he could pick it up at a later time, which Hudson agreed to.

“I regret the poor decisions that were made during this incident, and commend the White Bear Police Department for their professional response,” Hudson said in a written statement. “I’m grateful that no harm was done to ourselves and others.”

Two lawmakers stand and look around
Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville, (center) and Rep. Bidal Duran, R-Bemidji, (right) join other Republican lawmakers gather in the House chambers Jan. 27, 2025.
Tim Evans for MPR News file

A third, unidentified passenger was in the truck as well, according to police. Hudson and that person were transferred to the police department until they could arrange rides.

The Minnesota lawmakers had been at the Capitol late into the evening Thursday as the House debated procedural motions on gun, immigration and social media legislation. The motions failed on 67-67 votes.

There is no indication yet that either Hudson nor Engen had been drinking on Capitol grounds, which would be a violation of a House rule against consumption of alcohol or drugs in spaces under that chamber’s control.

According to a White Bear Lake Police report, Engen initially said he had not been drinking when asked by the police officer who pulled him over — “nothing at all,” he is quoted as saying. He performed a field sobriety test, which the report says showed signs of impairment.

Engen gave a preliminary breath sample there, the report says, which estimated a 0.142 blood alcohol level. After he was taken by squad car to the police department “Engen spontaneously stated, ‘Sir, I had a drink three hours ago,’” the report says.

He told the Minnesota Star Tribune in an interview Monday that he had also consumed alcohol in the afternoon on Thursday as well.

Engen is charged with two impaired driving offenses and speeding. White Bear Lake police also said he was driving a vehicle with expired registration and an inoperable headlight.

Engen has not returned calls from MPR News. A court docket lists a “notice of appearance” on Tuesday.

He is being represented in the criminal case by Chris Madel, an Excelsior attorney who waged a brief Republican campaign for governor.



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