PHOENIX – There was one thing that Sunday night's 116-98 Timberwolves victory over the Suns made clear for the remaining 20 games this season: It's going to be hard for Anthony Edwards to make it without picking up another one-game suspension for accruing two more technical fouls.

Even Edwards admitted that himself after an eventful night, but one in which he made it through without picking up his 17th technical of the season ... though there were moments that tried his temper.

This was his first game back after serving a one-game suspension in Friday's loss at Utah, an absence that came after Edwards picked up two technical fouls Thursday against the Lakers.

Edwards began the night with a more muted demeanor. You could see there were moments, like when Kevin Durant made contact with him in the third quarter, that he wanted a foul called. He turned to an official, arms extended as if to say, "Where's the foul?" but quickly let it go and ran back down the floor.

"Just be a little more civilized out there, man," Edwards said after the game. "Understand the refs are gonna make mistakes, just like humans. Everybody make mistakes. Just being able to go talk to them without cussing at them is something I tried to do."

If the rest of the night was any indication, that is going to be easier said than done.

Initially, he prevented that kind of quick emotional "outbursts" that coach Chris Finch said can cost him with the officials. On Friday, Finch bemoaned the fact that the volume of technicals Edwards is receiving might be affecting his reputation, that it obscures Edwards' joyous personality and positive impact overall on the game. He, too, is human and prone to make mistakes.

"He's gonna have to keep working on it," Finch said. "He plays with a lot of joy, and then he has these outburst moments which put a lot of pressure on the situation, and those he's got to keep in check. There were a few early in the game where I saw he did a good job of tempering his reaction."

Then came the fourth quarter, when Edwards said that got a lot harder. One one play, Edwards felt Devin Booker fouled him, and he held out his arms for an extended period of time at one of the officials while play resumed behind him. Finch and even the injured Rudy Gobert practically jumped onto the floor to plead with Edwards to stop and get back on defense.

Late in the game came the moment that really tested Edwards. Donte DiVincenzo set up a bounce alley-oop to Edwards, but Suns guard Bradley Beal pushed Edwards when he was mid-air and Edwards fell without a call from the officials.

Finch challenged the play and Beal was then charged with a flagrant foul-1. Teammates had to keep Edwards back from acting out on his anger in the moment.

You could see Edwards head to the bench to prevent himself from picking up a technical even as he was steaming.

"It was hard. Super hard," Edwards said of that moment. "But shoutout to my teammates for keeping me in line."

The Wolves, tied for sixth in the NBA West entering play Monday, can't afford to let any more games slip the rest of the season. When talking about this last stretch of schedule, which features a lot of games against teams with a worse record than the Wolves, Edwards said it was on him to bring it every night instead of deferring to teammates.

"Those the games where I try to let my teammates control the game, and I don't know how it usually goes, but with what's going on right now, I can't do that with the last 20 games," he said. "We got to bring it and I definitely got to bring it."

That can only happen so long as he's available to play.

Philadelphia 76ers at Timberwolves

Tuesday, 7 p.m., Target Center

TV, radio: FanDuel Sports North, iHeart app

Game preview: Philadelphia C Joel Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, is out for the rest of the season because of a knee injury. G Eric Gordon (wrist), G Jared McCain (knee) and G Kyle Lowry (hip) are also out, and F Paul George (groin) is questionable after sitting out Monday night's 119-102 home loss to Portland. G Tyrese Maxey didn't return after injuring his back in the third quarter as the 76ers (21-39) lost for the 10th time in 11 games. ... Wolves F Julius Randle returned Sunday at Phoenix and scored 20 points. The Wolves (33-29) are getting healthier with just C Rudy Gobert (back spasms) the only regular contributor still sidelined by injury. ... It's the first of a back-to-back, as the Wolves play Wednesday at Charlotte.