In the basketball world, it’s a rule of thumb to prevent history from repeating itself. No one wants to see the same outcome twice, and unfortunately for the LA Clippers, it may happen. How so? Well, the eighth seed might be where the Clippers finish, and because Anthony Edwards will be re-evaluated within a week or two due to knee inflammation, there is a strong chance the Minnesota Timberwolves will fall to the seventh seed. This is a similar sequence that was seen in 2022.
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards will be re-evaluated in 1 to 2 weeks due to right knee inflammation.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 17, 2026
As everyone remembers, this was the infamous matchup the Clippers lost. They then faced the New Orleans Pelicans in a single-elimination battle, where they collapsed without Paul George and didn’t even get a chance at the postseason despite finishing the regular season in the top eight.
The play-in tournament is already scary enough, and trying to win against the Timberwolves would make it worse. However, that has suddenly become probable.
The Timberwolves are the nightmare play-in matchup for the Clippers
Though the Minnesota Timberwolves may finish in the upper echelon of the play-in bracket in the Western Conference, they are arguably one of the most talented teams in the league. They have so many threats across their roster, and most importantly, employ Anthony Edwards, a potential MVP Finalist.
Edwards is literally having the best season of his career, averaging 29.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, shooting 49.2% from the field and 40.2% from beyond the arc.
The secret to Edwards’ greatness is his confidence, and if you tell him the Timberwolves’ season is potentially on the line against the Clippers, he is bound to have an exceptional performance.
Additionally, as a team, the Timberwolves have been firing on all cylinders since day one. They are top-12 in the league in offensive and defensive rating, while also playing at a top-10 pace that would haunt a slower team like the Clippers.
Without Edwards, the Timberwolves’ goal may be to steer clear of the play-in tournament. It’s obvious they wouldn’t want to risk being there, but they will find it harder than ever to win games with no superstar and a relatively tough schedule remaining.
The Clippers, though, will be rooting for them simply because they may prefer the Phoenix Suns to be the seventh seed. The Suns seem like the easier opponent , and based on strengths by position, they line up better with LA than with Minnesota.