The Minnesota Timberwolves have yet to reach the heights of the past season. They reached the Western Conference Finals for just the second time in franchise history. Late in the offseason, they dealt Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks while receiving Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in exchange. The trade hasn’t worked out as the team had hoped, and now the 27-year-old DiVincenzo will be out at least one game (likely more) with a toe injury.
Timberwolves Sharpshooter To Miss MSG Reunion With Injury
DiVincenzo Out For Return To Madison Square Garden With Toe Injury
In Minnesota’s most recent game on Wednesday, they fell in a close affair to the Golden State Warriors by the score of 116-115. The loss dropped the Timberwolves record to 21-19, eighth-best in the Western Conference.
Now the Timberwolves will be without one of their starters. Guard Donte DiVincenzo sustained a left great toe sprain late in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s contest. The seven-year veteran is listed as out for Friday’s game and will in all likelihood be out longer than that.
Not sure if he aggravated it earlier in the game, but here is where Donte DiVincenzo sprained his left toe last night. Rarley do you see him slump over in pain like this. pic.twitter.com/VhIcTthjzs
— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) January 17, 2025
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It will be DiVincenzo’s first missed game of the season. On January 6, the sharpshooter was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Mike Conley. Despite Wednesday’s loss, the Timberwolves own a 4-2 record since the move was made. Now with the 6-foot-4 guard out, it remains to be seen if they will go back with the 37-year-old Conley as a starter or perhaps someone like Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
It’s a tough break for Minnesota. DiVincenzo was beginning to look like the version of himself from last season after a slow start. In the six games since he was inserted with the starters, the former Villanova star has posted averages of 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.5 steals. DiVincenzo made 24 three-pointers in those six outings connecting on 42.1% of them.
At the beginning of the season, DiVincenzo looked as if he was still processing being dealt so late in the offseason. In the first 25 games of the season (two starts), he averaged only 8.3 points. In that time, DiVincenzo also shot just 35.3% from the field and 31.9% from beyond the arc.
Nova Knicks Last Season (And This One)
No injury is ever good timing, but this was really bad timing for DiVincenzo. The Timberwolves are heading to Madison Square Garden on Friday to take on the Knicks. It would have been DiVincenzo’s first regular season game back at MSG since being traded (Minnesota did have a preseason game there).
Much like this season, DiVincenzo started last season on the bench with the Knicks. He would supplant Quentin Grimes in the starting lineup and take off. It was a record-breaking season for DiVincenzo as he set a new franchise record with 283 made three-pointers.
New York was often referred to as the ‘Villanova Knicks’ in 2023-24. DiVincenzo played with his college teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart last season. Prior to DiVincenzo being dealt, the team also acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. Bridges was another former college teammate of the three of them.
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