Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards suspended one game for 16th technical foul

Anthony Edwards is set to face the consequences after his emotions boiled over on Thursday night.

The Minnesota Timberwolves superstar has been suspended one game after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season in a 111-102 loss to the Lakers on Thursday.

He received two technical fouls in the game and was ejected in the third quarter.

Edwards will now miss Minnesota’s outing against the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

NBA rules outline that receiving 16 technical fouls in one season results in an automatic one-game suspension by the league. Following the 16th foul, every two additional technicals will result in a one-game suspension.

Edwards received his first tech of the night after getting into a shoving match with Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt. Both players received fouls on the play.

Edwards then received his second after complaining to officials about what he believed was a non-call on Lakers guard Gabe Vincent after the Timberwolves wing drove to the basket.

Crew chief James Williams said in a pool report that Edwards received his second technical for directing profanity toward an official. Edwards was upset after he felt Vincent should have been called for a blocking foul as Edwards tried to drive.

The league did not say if Edwards would be fined for throwing the ball into the stands after being ejected. He had already been docked $285,000 for five different transgressions, mostly language, when he said after a $50,000 penalty on Jan. 13 for an obscene gesture that he wouldn’t get any more technical fouls.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said after the loss to the Lakers that his young star has “got to be better.”

“He’s had too many outbursts. I think a lot of them are deserved,” Finch said. “They’re going to miss some calls from time to time for sure. We’ve been talking to him about it. It’s on him.”

Edwards has had a prolific season for the Timberwolves, averaging a career-high 27.3 points with 6.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 40.5 per cent from three-point range.

Minnesota is currently 32-28, good for eighth in the Western Conference, but has lost five of its last 10 games.

— With files from the Associated Press