On February 28, the Minnesota Timberwolves made some key roster moves to strengthen their playoff push. They locked in breakout guard Jaylen Clark with a new contract, making him eligible for the postseason. That wasn’t their only move—they also added Bones Hyland on a two-way deal, giving their backcourt an extra boost. With the playoffs around the corner, the Wolves are making sure they have the depth to compete when it matters most. But they might’ve lost one of them already.

On Wednesday, the Wolves faced off against the struggling Hornets, but the spotlight shifted to their newest signing, Clark, in the fourth quarter. Clark looked visibly uncomfortable, clutching his right side as he tried to push through the pain.

The Wolves scrambled to sub him out, but they were a second too late, leaving him stuck on the floor momentarily. The moment he got an opening, he didn’t hesitate—he made a beeline straight down the tunnel toward the locker room, as reported by Chris Hine of Star Tribune.

Clark has been making the most of his minutes for the Wolves this season, appearing in 21 games and starting in four. Averaging 4.6 points per game, he’s been efficient with his opportunities, shooting 43.6% from the field and an impressive 41.7% from beyond the arc. Despite his limited role, he’s contributed on both ends, adding 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

Unfortunately for the 23-year-old guard, this is the second time he rushed to the locker room in 2 weeks. Clark’s night ended early on 24th Feb as well, after a brutal fall against the Thunder at Target Center. Midway through the third quarter, he went down hard under the basket, hitting his head with no time to brace himself. Grabbing his head in pain, he struggled to get up and looked unsteady as teammates helped him off the court. The team quickly sent Clark to the locker room and ruled him out due to neck pain.

His night might’ve ended early on Wednesday as well, but the Timberwolves didn’t let that shake them. Despite a tough travel schedule and back-to-back games, they stayed locked in and handled business against Charlotte, securing a 125-110 win at Spectrum Center.

Timberwolves claim their 3rd straight win

Running on little rest after a snowstorm-delayed flight and a grueling win over Philly, they still handled business. This had all the makings of a letdown game, yet Minnesota never let the Hornets hang around. A 13-0 third-quarter run put them in control, and a 10-0 burst in the fourth ended any hope of a comeback. The final score doesn’t tell the full story—this was a wire-to-wire beatdown.

Jaden McDaniels led the charge, dropping 29 points while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing four assists. His offensive bag was on full display, from putbacks to midrange jumpers. Anthony Edwards matched his 29, while Julius Randle stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, 10 boards, and nine dimes.

Naz Reid wasted no time making an impact, scoring 12 of his 13 points in the first quarter to help the Wolves build an early lead. Donte DiVincenzo caught fire from deep, hitting four threes on his way to 16 points.

After racking up 19 turnovers against the Sixers, Minnesota tightened up, finishing with just six. LaMelo Ball led Charlotte with 28, but he had to work for it. The Wolves didn’t just win—they dominated. If they play like this against weaker teams, they won’t be losing many they shouldn’t.