Charles Barkley Gives Bleak Outlook for Timberwolves in Spurs Matchup

The No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves advanced to the second round of the NBA playoff with a Game 6 victory over the No. 3 seed Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

But as the Timberwolves approach their Round 2 matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs, they’re dealing with some serious injury issues.

Most notably, Minnesota could be without its franchise player: Anthony Edwards.

Edwards hyperextended his knee during Game 4, suffering a bone bruise. This injury will hold the superstar guard off the court for the foreseeable future. He could return sometime during the second-round series against the Spurs, but his status is uncertain.

NBA analyst Charles Barkley shared a bleak outlook for the Timberwolves, particularly if Edwards is unavailable.

“Without Anthony Edwards they got no chance. Zero, without Anthony,” Barkley said after Game 6. “It would be a difficult series with Anthony. … [Nikola Jokic] is a little guy compared to Rudy [Gobert]. Rudy is a little guy compared to Victor [Wembanyama].”

In addition to Edwards, veteran guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Game 4. Minnesota guard Ayo Dosunmu, who dropped a game-high 43 points in Game 4, missed Game 6 with a calf injury.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch gave a positive outlook on Edwards’ return timeline earlier this week.

“We do know that if we keep extending this playoff series, he is going to come back. And he generally comes back ahead of the timeline,” Finch said.

Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Spurs series will tipoff from San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center on Monday.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 11:24 AM.