MINNEAPOLIS — 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 up 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 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, which begin 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 the 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 percent shooting including 39.9 percent from three-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 the back 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 with persistent knee pain. But, he said on Wednesday he used the time to trim some body fat and reduce his weight to 99 kilograms — the 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."

NBA fines Ball $60k

Charlotte's LaMelo Ball should have been ejected for an uncalled flagrant foul when he reached out and tugged on the ankle of Miami's Bam Adebayo, causing a back injury that forced Adebayo out of a play-in tournament game, the NBA said Wednesday.

The league said Ball made "unnecessary and reckless contact" with Adebayo on Tuesday night. Ball was fined $60,000 for the foul and for using profanity in an interview, but he remains eligible to play in the Hornets' elimination game Friday against Orlando.

The flagrant foul from Tuesday's game, if called in real time, would have resulted in Miami being awarded two free throws and possession of the ball. The Heat wound up losing 127-126 in overtime, ending their season.

The NBA said a flagrant foul, penalty two, was merited. If that had been called, Ball would have been ejected.

Adebayo was hurt early in the second quarter and did not return, leaving Miami without its best player. Ball made the decisive layup for the Hornets in overtime.

While he lauded the way Charlotte played, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said he felt Ball should have been ejected and wondered how officials Zach Zarba, Curtis Blair and Gediminas Petraitis all missed the incident.

"I don't think that belongs in the game, tripping guys, shenanigans," Spoelstra said. "Curtis was there. It's his responsibility to see that. And if it's not his responsibility, then Zach's got to see it. Somebody's got to see that. He should have been thrown out of the game for that. I don't know him from anyone. There's no place in the game for that."