Timberwolves Vs Pelicans: Wolves Rest Nearly Entire Playoff Lineup In Finale
The timberwolves vs pelicans game on Sunday night at Target Center has taken on a very different shape, with Minnesota treating the regular-season finale like a tune-up rather than a must-win. The Timberwolves are locked into the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, and that has pushed most of their playoff rotation to the sideline. Kevin Garnett is set to be in the building, adding a notable hometown feel to a game that carries more emotion than basketball stakes.
Nearly the full rotation is out
Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, Ayo Dosunmu, Bones Hyland, Kyle Anderson, and Mike Conley have all been ruled out for Sunday’s timberwolves vs pelicans matchup because of rest or injury maintenance. The club believes all nine are healthy and ready for the playoffs, which is the only stage that really matters to Minnesota at this point.
Edwards did play Friday and scored 22 points on 50 percent shooting in 27 minutes against the Rockets, a brief return that helped him shake off rust before the postseason begins. Donte DiVincenzo is the only Timberwolves rotation player listed as active for this game, and he is set to reach a full 82 games played for the first time in his career. It is possible he starts and then joins his teammates on the bench for the rest of the night.
What the game means now
From a standings perspective, the outcome will not change Minnesota’s postseason position. The Timberwolves have been locked into the No. 6 seed for several days and will open the first round against either the Nuggets or the Lakers, depending on other results later Sunday. That uncertainty is the only real competitive wrinkle left for Minnesota entering the playoffs.
The setting still matters in its own way. The regular-season finale comes at Target Center, and Garnett’s return to Minneapolis for the first time since 2018 gives the night a layer of nostalgia that stands apart from the emptying injury report. Fans expecting a full-strength timberwolves vs pelicans battle will instead see a heavily managed roster and a clear shift toward the postseason.
Immediate reaction and context
Chris Finch’s decision reflects how far Minnesota has already advanced toward the playoffs. With the seeding settled, the team is prioritizing availability over short-term regular-season minutes, and the list of players sitting makes that approach unmistakable.
Randle’s status is part of that broader picture. He has been ruled out for Sunday, joining a long list of regulars who will not take on extended minutes in the timberwolves vs pelicans finale. The club’s focus is now on getting everyone through the weekend healthy and ready for the first round.
What happens next will depend on postseason matchups and how Minnesota chooses to manage the final ramp-up before Game 1. For now, the message is simple: the timberwolves vs pelicans game is a finale in name, but for the Timberwolves, the real season is just about to begin.
