Anthony Edwards was ejected from the Timberwolves’ loss to the Lakers on Thursday night and now likely will be suspended for the team’s Friday night game in Utah for having reached the league threshold of 16 technicals in a season.

Edwards picked up an early technical in this game as part of a double-tech he got with Jarred Vanderbilt when the two got tangled and pushed a little heading into a timeout. Then came Edwards’ ejection with 5:21 left in the third quarter.

After the game, Crew Chief James Williams told a pool reporter that the second ejection was “for directing profanity towards the game official.” Williams added it was “considered” that the second technical would lead to ejection… but was it really? That seemed more like a gut reaction by the official. We don’t know what was said, and Edwards may have crossed the line at the moment and said something that deserved the ejection, but from the outside, it seemed pretty quick and soft for a second technical.

It wasn’t just the rest of the Timberwolves loss to the Lakers that Edwards had to miss, that second technical was his 16th of the season, bringing him to the threshold that leads to an automatic one-game suspension by the league. Expect Edwards to be sidelined Friday night when Minnesota takes on Utah. (There is a slim chance the second technical is rescinded, but don’t bet on it.)

After the ejection, a frustrated Edwards threw the ball into the stands, undoubtedly earning him another fine from the league — he already has five for a total of $285,000 this season.

Edwards is the fastest player to reach 16 technicals in a season since DeMarcus Cousins eight years ago. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after the game that Edwards needs to improve his self-control.

“He’s got to be better. He’s had too many outbursts. I think a lot of them are deserved. They’re going to miss some calls from time to time for sure, so he’s got to be better. We’ve been talking to him about it, so it’s on him.”