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Jan 17, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

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Will Anthony Edwards Play? Preview, How to Watch Spurs vs. Timberwolves Game 1

Originally posted on San Antonio Spurs on SI
By Matt Guzman | Last updated May 4, 2026 6:29 PM ET

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SAN ANTONIO — Anthony Edwards is officially available to play in Game 1 after a remarkable recovery, but it doesn't change how the Spurs prepared himself.

Coach Mitch Johnson said that whether Ant is out there or not, he expects a good fight from this Minnesota Timberwolves team.

"When he doesn't play, I don't think Minnesota necessarily changes their style of play drastically, who they are. Think they're aggressive, they're athletic, they're competitive, they're physical, they're tough minded, and that's how they look through that whole series I just watched, when Anthony Edwards is on the court, when Anthony Edwards is off the court. Obviously, when he's on the court, infusion of talent there."

After a week off following their first-round win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Spurs entered Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals preparing for every version of Minnesota — with Edwards, without him or somewhere in between.

By tipoff, the uncertainty remained part of the story, but not the Spurs’ approach. They had already seen what the Timberwolves could be without their star, grinding through a six-game series against the Denver Nuggets behind extreme physicality and elevated pace.

“We’re just trying to cover all bases,” Keldon Johnson said. “I’m not really sure if he plays or if he does not play, but we just try to prepare as best as possible, so we’re ready for anything.”

Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

That identity translated immediately. Whether it was Edwards pushing through a knee injury or Minnesota leaning on its depth, the Timberwolves played with the same edge that carried them into the second round — one that doesn’t rely on circumstance.

Minnesota's coach Chris Finch understands the tall task his team faces in this game, against an even better Spurs team than the one the Timberwolves played earlier in the season.

"They're all shooting the ball at a little higher clip than when we were in here in mid season, for sure, it looks like they've all really settled into their roles. They're settled into their rotation a lot better," Finch said. "I think just the certainty of their availability has been pretty consistent with all their players. So they've been able to kind of really gel around that, and just being able to kind of slowly advance themselves and win a lot of games and gain the confidence that you get by doing that."

For San Antonio, the challenge wasn’t tied to a name on the injury report as much as it was matching a team that forces you to be sharp on every possession. After dispatching Portland in five games, they expected a less "straightforward" level of resistance. Minnesota’s ability to dictate tempo defensively, combined with its willingness to embrace contact, made it clear early that a Round 2 victory would demand more than what San Antonio needed in Round 1.

It's that added challenge that excites Victor Wembanyama the most.

"We’re excited," Wembanyama said. "We’re locked in. We know it’s going to be harder than our first series ... (they are) a team that requires you to be on for 48 minutes."

While Edwards will play Monday night, Minnesota will be without Ayo Dosunmu, who is still nursing right calf soreness, and Donte DiVincenzo, who will likely miss most of next season with a torn Achilles suffered in Game 4 against the Nuggets.

San Antonio, meanwhile, will be without Carter Bryant. The rookie forward was an unexpected addition to the Spurs' availability report, citing right foot soreness. He was downgraded to out before the game, but Johnson said there's optimism it's not a long-term injury.

Beyond injuries, here's everything you need to know about Game 1: