The Western Conference Finals are in full swing, and after a hard-fought Game 1 on Tuesday night between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder, there’s a fresh wave of concern rippling through Wolves Nation. The Timberwolves managed to hang on to their lead at halftime, with Julius Randle dropping 18 points to keep Minnesota ahead by seven midway through the second quarter. But the real story buzzing among fans isn’t the score—it’s the health of their star guard, who rolled his right ankle late in the first quarter during a layup attempt.
Let’s set the scene from Tuesday’s game. Minnesota came out swinging, grabbing an early lead in a back-and-forth first quarter. They carried a slim three-point edge into the second, and by midway through that quarter, they’d stretched it to seven. The star guard was doing his part, chipping in seven points and four rebounds, showing the kind of all-around game that’s made him a cornerstone for this team. But then, with just seconds left in the first, disaster struck. He went up for a layup, came down awkwardly, and rolled his right ankle. You could feel the collective gasp from Timberwolves fans as he hobbled off the court, heading to the locker room to get checked out.
Here’s the good news: he returned to the game shortly after, gutting it out and showing the toughness we’ve come to expect. By all accounts, he seemed to move okay for the rest of the half, helping Minnesota maintain their lead. But here’s where things get a little worrisome for Wolves fans, and it’s why this injury is back in the spotlight. This isn’t the first time he’s dealt with ankle issues this postseason. He tweaked that same ankle in the first round against the Lakers and again in the second round against the Warriors. Both times, he played through the pain, and it didn’t seem to slow him down too much. But now, with the stakes as high as they’ve ever been—a trip to the NBA Finals on the line—every little setback feels magnified.
What’s got fans and analysts alike on edge is the pattern here. Three ankle injuries in one playoff run? That’s the kind of thing that makes you hold your breath every time he drives to the hoop. Sure, he came back in Game 1 and looked solid, but rolling the same ankle multiple times can weaken it, making it more prone to a serious injury. And let’s be real—if the Timberwolves lose their star guard for any stretch of this series, it’s a massive blow. He’s not just a scorer; he’s their emotional leader, the guy who sets the tone with his energy and fearlessness. Without him at 100%, Minnesota’s path to the Finals gets a whole lot rockier, especially against a Thunder team that’s already shown they can claw back from deficits.
There’s no official update on his status heading into Game 2, but the fact that this ankle keeps flaring up has fans understandably nervous. He’s been able to play through it so far, but how many more times can he roll that ankle before it turns into something worse? The Timberwolves are in a dogfight with OKC, and they need their star guard firing on all cylinders to have a shot at the Finals. For now, all eyes will be on that right ankle—and every Wolves fan is hoping it holds up for the rest of this series.
