Donte DiVincenzo will make his first begin in a Timberwolves uniform.
DiVincenzo is within the beginning lineup for Sunday afternoon’s recreation towards the Boston Celtics at TD Backyard in Boston. He begins instead of Mike Conley, who was dominated out earlier than the sport with a severely sprained left toe. Conley additionally missed Thursday’s recreation towards the Toronto Raptors, however Nickeil Alexander-Walker began in his place. Alexander-Walker additionally began when Conley was rested for the second half of back-to-back video games towards the Portland Path Blazers earlier within the yr.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch instructed reporters in Boston that the choice was not about Alexander-Walker.
“It permits us to raised construction our defensive recreation,” Finch mentioned. “Once more, we really feel like we’ve got eight starters, so it isn’t an anti-Nickeil factor. We predict it is what’s finest for (Sunday’s) recreation. ”
Whereas Alexander-Walker has gotten the beginning when Conley is out, DiVincenzo is commonly the primary participant off the Wolves bench, often changing Conley, though that group – DiVincenzo with starters Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels – himself solely performed 37 minutes collectively, with Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid often checking in quickly after. Sunday’s beginning lineup has a -5.0 web score this season in restricted motion.
This group, nevertheless, will profit from an prolonged run on Sunday with DiVincenzo as the first ball handler, which has been a major a part of his position off the bench this season. He averages 9.5 factors, 3.3 assists and three.1 rebounds per recreation.
The Timberwolves and Celtics will tip off at 2:30 p.m. CST in Boston.
