Anthony Edwards Sits as Timberwolves Stun Celtics in Boston

Without Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves walked into TD Garden on Sunday night and did something they had not done in nearly two decades — they won. Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu led the charge in a 102-92 upset of a healthy Boston Celtics squad, snapping a streak that had quietly become one of the more embarrassing footnotes in franchise history.

The victory, played March 23, 2026, carries weight beyond the final score. Minnesota had dropped 18 consecutive games at TD Garden before Sunday, a run so long it stretched across multiple coaching staffs and roster overhauls. For a team with genuine postseason ambitions, proving it can win without its star guard — even once — matters.

The 18-Game Curse at TD Garden, Broken

Minnesota”s road futility in Boston had become almost mythological. The Timberwolves lost 18 straight games at TD Garden before Sunday”s win, visiting the arena only once per season and leaving empty-handed every time. That kind of streak does not just reflect talent gaps — it reflects a psychological wall that even good teams struggle to climb.

The Timberwolves had recently exorcised a similar ghost. Earlier this season, Minnesota snapped a 20-game losing streak in Toronto, winning there for the first time since 2004. Two venue curses erased in one season — that is a detail the front office brass will quietly celebrate, even if the playoff bracket is what ultimately defines this year.

Breaking down the advanced metrics, the win was not a blowout — it was a grind. Boston had won 51 consecutive games when its defense held opponents below 1.03 points per possession. Minnesota fell below that threshold on Sunday and still found a way to close out the Celtics, which tells you something about defensive discipline and late-game composure from a group playing without its best player.

What Did the Numbers Reveal About This Wolves Performance?

The Timberwolves” 102-92 victory dismantled two of Boston”s most reliable statistical fortresses in a single night. Boston had also won 37 consecutive games in which it held a lead of at least 15 points — a streak that speaks to the Celtics” ability to protect advantages through their defensive scheme and ball movement. Minnesota broke both streaks in the same contest.

Hyland and Dosunmu were the primary engines in the absence of Minnesota”s franchise cornerstone. Neither player is typically asked to carry a full offensive load, which makes their performance all the more striking from a usage-rate standpoint. The numbers suggest Minnesota”s depth has quietly developed into something real — not just a talking point, but a functional rotation capable of generating wins against elite competition.

Anthony Edwards” absence also produced one of the stranger individual stat lines of his season. According to the source, it was only the second time all season he had been held below 10 points in a game — though in this case, the low number came from sitting out entirely rather than being contained by a defense. Context matters when reading a box score.

Anthony Edwards and the Injury Picture

Anthony Edwards did not play Sunday against Boston, and the Timberwolves have not detailed a specific timeline for his return. Based on available data from the source, his absence was confirmed but no diagnosis or injury classification was provided. The numbers suggest Minnesota can survive short stretches without him — but a prolonged absence would stress-test this roster in ways that Sunday”s win cannot fully preview.

Tracking this trend over the current season, Edwards has been the gravitational center of Minnesota”s offense. His usage rate, his pull-up three-point volume, and his ability to draw fouls in the mid-range all shape how opponents prepare their defensive game plans. When he sits, the Wolves lose that threat — but they apparently gain something else: a collective resolve that forces role players to expand their footprints. Hyland, in particular, showed the kind of shot-creation that made him a coveted piece in Denver before his time in Minnesota.

The broader salary cap implications of Edwards” long-term contract make his health a franchise-level concern, not just a game-to-game question. Minnesota built its roster construction around his production, and any extended absence would force head coach Chris Finch to rethink defensive scheme breakdowns and rotation depth in ways that could ripple into the playoff seeding race.

Key Developments From Sunday”s Win

• Boston”s 51-game winning streak when holding opponents below 1.03 points per possession was snapped by Minnesota, which fell below that mark and still won.
• The Celtics” 37-game winning streak when leading by 15 or more points also ended Sunday night in the same contest.
• Celtics play-by-play announcer Sean Grande noted the 51-game defensive efficiency streak on the broadcast, lending outside credibility to the statistical milestone.
• Minnesota”s Toronto curse — a 20-game road losing streak there — was already broken earlier this season, with the Wolves winning in Toronto for the first time since 2004.
• Sunday marked only the second instance this season that Edwards” name appeared in a box score showing fewer than 10 points, though the circumstance was absence rather than poor shooting.

Where Do the Timberwolves Go From Here?

Minnesota”s playoff positioning in the Western Conference makes every result meaningful in late March 2026. A road win over Boston — regardless of Edwards” availability — adds a data point that scouts and opposing coaches will file away. The Wolves are not just a one-man team, and Sunday offered the clearest evidence of that all season.

The draft strategy analysis and defensive scheme breakdown for the postseason will hinge heavily on Edwards” return date. If he comes back healthy before the play-in window, Minnesota enters that stretch with a fully loaded rotation and the psychological momentum of having won in two of the NBA”s most historically hostile road environments this season. That combination is not nothing. The Western Conference playoff race has no margin for complacency, and the Timberwolves — for one Sunday night in Boston — showed they understand that.