Timberwolves overused Anthony Edwards and now must face consequences

Anthony Edwards was already struggling with right knee pain early in the season. Then the Minnesota Timberwolves let him play 41 minutes on the second game of a back-to-back.

Monday, Edwards scored 47 points in a 127-125 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tuesday, team sources revealed Edwards would have arthroscopic surgery on the knee and miss the next two months.

Admittedly, it has to be hard to be conservative with a dynamic star like Edwards, especially one who consistently plays through pain. Last season, he rushed back from a hyperextended left knee in the playoffs, missing two games, while also dealing with an inflamed right knee. Even though he was visibly hampered by his injury, Edwards had two games of 30-plus points as the undermanned Wolves took the San Antonio Spurs to six games.

But that was the playoffs. When it's the fourth game of the regular season, the Timberwolves need to be more protective of Edwards. Monday, Edwards wasn't cleared to play until warmups, but he still logged 41 minutes, one night after limping and grabbing his sore knee repeatedly in a win over the Toronto Raptors.

Now he's going to miss an extended period of time, with Edwards and the Wolves determining that they couldn't wait to deal with his knee issue. If surgery goes well — and Edwards has been a fast healer so far — he could be back with the team in December.