Charles Barkley Gives Anthony Edwards‑Less Wolves No Chance vs. Spurs Despite Upsetting Nikola Jokic & Nuggets

The Minnesota Timberwolves secured their place in the conference semifinals with a 110-98 win over the Denver Nuggets.

Charles Barkley Gives Anthony Edwards‑Less Wolves No Chance vs. Spurs Despite Upsetting Nikola Jokic & Nuggets

NBA legend Charles Barkley (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Charles Barkley believes the Timberwolves have no chance against the Spurs without Anthony Edwards.
  • The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 110-98 in Game 6, but Edwards is out due to a knee injury.
  • Rudy Gobert anticipates a challenging matchup against the Spurs, highlighting their strong team and coaching.

It looks like Charles Barkley does not have much faith in the Minnesota Timberwolves, even after they knocked out the Denver Nuggets in six games in the first round. Without the services of Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu, the Timberwolves recorded a convincing 110-98 victory over the Nuggets in Game 6 at the Target Center.

Following the win, Barkley made it clear that the Wolves have no chance against the San Antonio Spurs without their star player.

Without Anthony Edwards, they got no chance. Zero. It would be a difficult series with Anthony.

Charles Barkley on Inside The NBA

Despite playing in Games 5 and 6 without Anthony Edwards in the lineup, the Wolves took care of business against the Nuggets. But Charles Barkley doesn’t believe they stand a chance against the Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama.

Barkley’s predictions have not been up to the mark so far in the playoffs, but he does make a valid point here. While Edwards was not instrumental in the first round, he is still their best player. He is coming off his highest scoring season as he averaged 28.8 points, seven rebounds, and 3.7 assists.

Edwards is expected to miss a few weeks due to a knee injury he suffered in Game 4. In the three games he has played against the Spurs this season, he averaged 36.7 points per game, including a career-high 55 points. His staggering numbers against the Spurs show that he will be a huge miss for the Wolves in the Western Conference Semifinals.

It is a tall ask for any team to win a playoff round without their star player. But the Wolves have got a feel for it after beating the Nuggets in their last two games.

Fans react to Charles Barkley’s blunt prediction for the Wolves-Spurs series

In the three games they have played against each other this season, the Wolves have come out on top twice. Injuries to DiVincenzo and Dosunmu complicate matters further for the club.

After Charles Barkley’s statements, fans took to social media to react to his predictions.

Fans remained optimistic about the Wolves’ chances, considering they were the underdogs against the Nuggets in the first round. The Spurs have had a few extra days of rest after becoming the second team to book their place in the second round.

Rudy Gobert is looking forward to taking on the Spurs

Victor Wembanyama is undoubtedly the best defender in the league today. He became the first ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year this season. However, Rudy Gobert showed everyone why he is a four-time DPOY when he clamped down on Nikola Jokic in the first round.

Nikola Jokic struggled against Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic struggled against Rudy Gobert (Image via Do Deka/X)

After taking down the Nuggets, Gobert spoke about taking on the Spurs in the next round.

It’s another really good team with a unique all-time player. They have a very good collective unit on both sides of the floor and they’re really well coached. So it’s going to be a great challenge and looking forward to it.

Rudy Gobert in his post-match press conference

Wembanyama will offer a very different test compared to Jokic for Gobert. The Western Conference Semifinals will see the two French centers battling it out in what could be a very thrilling contest.

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