No Anthony Edwards or Ja Morant for Wolves-Grizzlies on Wednesday

When you think about the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Memphis Grizzlies, the first two names that come to mind would be Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant. The Wolves' No. 1 pick in 2020 and the Grizzlies' No. 2 pick in 2019 are two of the bigger stars of the current generation in the NBA, even if Morant's career trajectory has taken a hit in recent years due to injuries and other factors.

Neither one will be on the floor for Wednesday night's game between the two teams at Target Center.

Edwards (foot) will miss a third straight game after previously sitting out wins over the Warriors and Kings. The juggernaut Thunder are coming to Minneapolis on Friday, so perhaps Edwards is sitting out one more game in order to give himself a shot to play against Oklahoma City. That's the hope, at least, if you're a Wolves fan.

Edwards has missed six full games this year (and most of one other game) for the 17-9 Timberwolves. When healthy, he's averaged a career-high 28.7 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor, 41.6 percent from long range, and 83.3 percent from the line. The Wolves are 13-7 with Edwards this season and 4-2 without him.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley will also miss a third straight game, which should mean a third straight start for Bones Hyland, who wasn't even in the rotation until recently. Hyland had 18 points and 5 assists in Sunday's win over Sacramento. He'll be joined in the starting lineup by Donte DiVincenzo, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert (who is back after exiting the Kings game for the birth of his daughter).

Morant (ankle) is out for the 12-14 Grizzlies, which might not actually be a good thing for the Timberwolves. The Grizz are 5-9 with Morant on the floor this season and 7-5 when he doesn't play. He's struggled mightily with efficiency this year, averaging 17.7 points and 7.5 assists while shooting 35.7 percent overall and 19.4 percent from three-point range.

Back in 2021-22, when the Grizzlies beat the Timberwolves in a first-round playoff series, Morant was a 22-year-old who won Most Improved Player and was a second team All-NBA selection. Since then, injuries and suspensions have thrown his career somewhat off track, and the Grizzlies haven't won a playoff series since beating Minnesota. Meanwhile, Edwards has ascended to superstardom on a Timberwolves team that has made back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals.

The Grizzlies have a deep lineup, with seven non-Morant players averaging double figures in scoring. Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, and Jock Landale lead the way in the frontcourt. Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells, and rookie Cedric Coward are among the players to watch in the backcourt. Spencer is coming off a 27-point game in a win over the Clippers.

Memphis has won 8 of its last 11 games since a 4-11 start. The Wolves are 7.5-point favorites for Wednesday's 7 p.m. CT game on NBA TV.

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