If things go the way Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves currently envision, he’ll be back from arthroscopic knee surgery in plenty of time for a playoff push and possibly making a run at winning an NBA championship.
uncertain
he → go → championship
Edwards is out of Minnesota’s lineup for the foreseeable future, since the long-term goal — a title — obviously is far more important than anything like the individual awards that he won’t be eligible to win this season because he’ll miss too many games.
asserted
he → win → games
He was playing in pain.
asserted
He → play → pain
His knee was only going to keep hurting.
asserted
knee → go → ?
The decision was clear and fixing it now is the smart move.
asserted
fixing → fix → it
At least Minnesota had that option.
asserted
Minnesota → have → option
Oklahoma City wasn’t so fortunate in that regard; Jalen Williams’ horrific leg and ankle injuries could only be repaired by surgery that likely will be season-ending, and Thunder teammate Cason Wallace is looking at a similar long road back after shoulder surgery.
uncertain
Wallace → repair → surgery
Both got hurt Sunday night, creating serious early season angst for a team that was widely expected to contend for a second championship in three years.
asserted
that → hurt → years
“We have a unique experience with this.
asserted
We → have → this
It’s not something you want to have a lot of experience with, but we do,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said, noting that Oklahoma City has not had the best luck in recent years when it comes to injuries.
asserted
it → ’ → injuries
“I think we’ll probably lean on some of that.
asserted
we → think → that
Then a large portion of it is we’re very process-oriented.
asserted
we → ’re → it
I think it keeps you humble in good times and keeps you stable when you’re going through some adversity.
asserted
you → think → adversity
And adversity clearly has hit Oklahoma City, Minnesota and a few other places.
asserted
adversity → hit → City
Given his injury history, any mention of “Leonard” and “knee” in the same sentence likely sends chills down the spines of Raptors fans.
asserted
mention → give → fans
The good news is that the Raptors say there’s no acute left knee injury causing the problem.
asserted
Raptors → say → problem
The bad news is, well, there’s a problem.
asserted
news → ’ → ?
“Part of the game,” Toronto’s RJ Barrett said.
asserted
Barrett → say → game
“Obviously we wish everybody could play every game, but injuries are part of the game.
uncertain
injuries → wish → game
That’s why you have a whole team. ...
asserted
you → ’ → team
Until he gets back, we’ve got to figure it out.
asserted
we → get → it
Orlando is already down two players, with Paolo Banchero out for perhaps a month with a high ankle sprain and Jalen Suggs out with a knee issue that will sideline him for a couple of weeks — although when he got hurt, the initial fear was that it could have been something far more serious.
uncertain
it → sideline → weeks
Utah, a team that hopes to reenter the playoff chase for the first time in years, just lost center Jaren Jackson Jr. for perhaps two months with a torn knee ligament.
asserted
that → hop → ligament
Indiana — which didn’t have star guard Tyrese Haliburton last season because of a torn Achilles suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals — is bracing for him to be limited again, at least for a while, with a left hamstring issue.
asserted
him → have → issue
“We’ll hope this hamstring thing is not a big deal or not any kind of a long-term thing,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday during an appearance on Indianapolis radio station 107.5 FM, adding that the team has enlisted a specialist to try to figure out the next steps.
asserted
team → hope → steps
All is not lost.
asserted
All → lose → ?
But especially in what many believe could be very tight playoff races by season’s end, no team wants to be without its stars for too long.
uncertain
team → believe → stars
“It’s very early in the season,” Banchero said.
asserted
Banchero → ’ → season
Leonard should be playing before long.
asserted
Leonard → play → ?
They’re fortunate compared with many; Sacramento’s Ben Simmons blew out his Achilles tendon before the season even started and will miss another year, Golden State’s Kristaps Porzingis is away from the team while dealing with a health issue and a few other players — like the Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III and the Timberwolves’ Donte DiVincenzo — are still sidelined while dealing with major injuries suffered last season.
asserted
players → ’re → injuries
Losing Edwards is a tough blow to Minnesota.
asserted
Losing → lose → Minnesota
It likely will cost the Timberwolves some wins in November and December.
asserted
It → cost → November
But if it leads to wins in May and June, whatever struggles happen now surely will be deemed worthwhile.
uncertain
struggles → lead → May
The Aporia
