Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was cited for third-degree assault after police say he swung a chair and injured two women following the team's Game 5 loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday at Ball Arena in Denver.
Anthony Edwards cited for third-degree assault after Timberwolves postgame incident in Denver arena
Edwards allegedly swung a chair in frustration. Two arena workers were hurt in the incident, according to a police spokesman.
April 27, 2023 at 11:34AM
As Edwards was making his way from the court to the locker room after missing the potential game-tying shot at the buzzer, police said Edwards swung a folding chair that injured two female employees who were working at the time, according to Jay Casillas, spokesperson for the Denver Police Department. The injuries were not serious, Casillas added.
Definition: Third-degree assault in Colorado.
Edwards is due to appear in court on June 9 in Denver, according to the citation. Third-degree assault in Colorado is a class one misdemeanor, and a conviction could result in jail time and a fine of up to $1,000. The Wolves released a statement Wednesday night.
"We are aware of the alleged incident regarding Anthony Edwards following Game 5 in Denver and are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this moment," the statement read.
Edwards rushed quickly off the court to head to the locker room following the final shot, and NBA TV footage appeared to show him slamming a chair as he headed down the tunnel near the Wolves' locker room.
Editor's note: On Thursday, Edwards' attorney, Harvey Steinberg, released a statement saying Edwards would fight the charges. Steinberg said in the statement: "With the game over, Anthony's exit from the court was partially obstructed by a chair, which he moved and set down three steps later. As video of the incident confirms, Anthony did not swing the chair at anyone and of course did not intend to hurt anyone. Despite these innocent facts, the Denver Police Department inexplicably chose to charge Anthony with two counts of misdemeanor assault. Anthony intends to vigorously defend against these baseless charges."
Coach Chris Finch said the team reviewed film of every Edwards play in clutch time this season, and he graded out fairly well.
