Donte DiVincenzo doesn’t think the Minnesota Timberwolves would have won their season-opener in Portland without the continuity they have entering this season.
“I don’t think we win that game last year,” said DiVincenzo. “Everybody else sticking together throughout the fourth quarter was huge. TJ (Terrence Shannon Jr.) stepped up. Bones [Hyland] came in and stepped up. Hasn’t played the whole game, comes in and turns us around. JC [Jaylen Clark] did the exact same thing.”
The Wolves lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but otherwise returned their impact players from last season. Chris Finch has also expanded the rotation, going 10 deep against the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Finch has turned to Shannon, Clark, and Hyland in Alexander-Walker’s absence. However, Rob Dillingham has only played 59 seconds. Dillingham entered the Lakers game in garbage time and immediately fractured his nose while defending DeAndre Ayton.
It’s early. Still, if there’s anything we learned from Minnesota’s 128-110 loss in LA, it’s that the Wolves need point guard help. DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Anthony Edwards can bring the ball up, but they play other positions. Bones Hyland is an intriguing backup, but isn’t a starting point guard at this point in his career. Mike Conley, 38, is starting to show signs of age. He picked up two early fouls against the Lakers, didn’t make a shot from the floor, and finished -11.
The Wolves traded up to select Dillingham eighth overall two years ago. However, he played sparingly as a rookie, and they’re playing Hyland over him early this season.
Dillingham’s offensive upside makes him an intriguing backcourt mate for Edwards. He’s worked on his shot form and gives effort on defense, but opponents can occasionally swallow him up in screens. Ultimately, Dillingham needs to create fewer turnovers to earn rotation minutes.
At age 20, Dillingham is still developing and offers intrigue. Still, the Wolves need an immediate solution if he’s not ready for rotational minutes. DiVincenzo, Randle, and Edwards can bring the ball up. Still, they’ll be more productive in their traditional roles. Hyland isn’t a starter, and they’d need a backup for him regardless.
It’s unwise to make sweeping conclusions two games into the season. Last year, Minnesota’s overhauled roster looked discombobulated during its season-opener in LA. They had trouble finding their stride after trading Karl-Anthony Towns for Randle and DiVincenzo before camp, and ended up as the sixth seed in the West. However, they eliminated the Lakers and Golden State Warriors before the Oklahoma City Thunder blew them out in the Western Conference Finals.
Still, every game matters for the Wolves, who have championship aspirations in the ultra-competitive West. Oklahoma City is returning its young core. The Houston Rockets added Kevin Durant, and the Denver Nuggets are deeper than last year. Golden State still has Stephen Curry, who missed most of the second round against the Wolves with an injury last year.
Minnesota’s lack of defense was evident in its loss in LA. Luka Doncic had 49 points on a night when LeBron James didn’t play, and the Lakers shot 60.9% from the floor.
“[The] defense is certainly not where it needs to be,” Chris Finch said after the game. “There’s just nothing, not dictating on the point of attack, there’s no aggressiveness to it at all. And kind of the fly-around mentality behind it is just not quite there.”
Point of attack defense typically falls on the point guard, given that they often guard the player who brings the ball up the court. Given his size, Dillingham (6’1”, 176 lbs.) may never be a stout defender, but he flies around after the player he defends and goes all-out for rebounds.
Absent the presence of a reliable point guard, Minnesota’s point-of-attack defense will be a crucial weak point.
Meanwhile, the Wolves have improved their offense from where it was a year ago. Anthony Edwards had 31 points on 11 of 19 shooting in LA. Julius Randle chipped in 26, and Donte DiVincenzo had 13 on 4 of 8 from the floor (3 of 6 from three). Even Jaden McDaniels (10 points on 5 of 12 shooting) looks like he’s progressed offensively.
The Timberwolves emphasized continuity entering the season, and it has manifested offensively. However, they must play better defense and have a reliable point guard to build off their run to the Western Conference Finals in the past two seasons.