NBA Notes: Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, Nuggets, Celtics, Hugo Gonzalez

Timberwolves

The Timberwolves received a bit of good news regarding Anthony Edwards. His MRI confirmed a right hamstring strain, but the team said he’ll be re-evaluated in one week, giving hope he could return sooner than the initial two-week timeline reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

It’s still a setback, as Edwards has been Minnesota’s engine. He exited Sunday’s game against the Pacers just three minutes in, grabbing his leg and heading straight to the locker room.

What started as “tightness” turned out to be something more.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Edwards opened the year on a tear with 41 points against Portland and 31 in a loss to the Lakers.

His combination of shot creation, athleticism, and swagger drives nearly everything the Wolves do offensively.

Minnesota faces Denver tonight on the second night of a back-to-back, followed by seven more games over the next two weeks.

Even if he’s cleared quickly, Edwards is likely to miss at least eight contests.

In his absence, Julius Randle has stepped into the top scoring role, with Mike Conley, Jaylen Clark, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Bones Hyland all taking on heavier minutes. Expect coach Chris Finch to lean on depth and balance until Edwards returns.

Durability has been one of Edwards’ trademarks. He’s played 79 games in each of the past three seasons and 72 in each of his first two.

Nuggets

After failing to reach a rookie-scale extension, Peyton Watson is keeping a business mindset heading into restricted free agency next summer, Bennett Durando of The Denver Post reports.

“It was just a financial business decision,” Watson said. “With the new CBA and second apron, they wanted to stay out of that. As a business, you’ve gotta do what’s best for your business. When my time comes, I’ve gotta do what’s best for me.”

The Nuggets extended Christian Braun for five years and $125 million, leaving roughly $7 million annually available for Watson before entering tax trouble. He’ll now play to set his own market — something coach David Adelman says could work in his favor.

“If he has a great year, he can put himself where he wants to,” Adelman said. “You prove it every day in this league.”

Celtics

Hugo Gonzalez made his first NBA start Sunday and wasted no time leaving a mark. Tasked with guarding Cade Cunningham, the Celtics rookie held Detroit’s lead guard to three points on 1-of-5 shooting, though Boston eventually lost (119-113).

“I like Hugo’s mentality,” Jaylen Brown said, via MassLive’s Brian Robb. “He knows his role. He can play. We’re going to need more of that. He’s going to keep learning and getting better, but that’s what we need.”

Gonzalez’s defensive poise earned him praise from teammates and a likely longer look in Joe Mazzulla’s rotation. Not bad for a kid still learning Boston’s defensive system on the fly.