Second-year Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham didn't see the floor on Wednesday's 118-114 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Dillingham, who averaged just 10.5 minutes as a rookie, was widely expected to take on a bigger role. It's easy to view this game as a lack of confidence in Dillingham from Chris Finch, especially since Bones Hyland played eight minutes in the fourth quarter.
I'll admit it sounds a bit crazy to say that Dillingham not playing isn't a major indictment on him, but stay with me for a second. In my eyes, the main reason that Dillingham didn't crack the rotation is that the Blazers' stifling defense and length made them a matchup that would be advantageous for the 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard.
Notably, the Wolves committed 19 turnovers, and Dillingham isn't a steady enough playmaker to help avoid this issue; he posted a 19.6 turnover percentage last season.
Will Dillingham be a mainstay in the Wolves' rotation? I think it's pretty unlikely, at least for now. However, he will certainly get ample opportunities when the matchup allows for it.
The Blazers weren't an ideal matchup for Dillingham
A lot of fans may look at the Blazers and scoff; they didn't even make the Play-In Tournament last season. Sure, but there's no denying the defensive acumen of this squad. After the All-Star break last season, the Blazers ranked fourth in defensive rating. The Blazers' size and length really stand out, with no player in Wednesday's rotation being below 6-foot-4.
Portland's relentless on-ball pressure made life challenging for the Wolves. Whether it was Toumani Camara, Jrue Holiday, Matisse Thybulle, or Deni Avdija, the Blazers' defense made things difficult for a Wolves squad that struggles with ball-pressure. Outside of the minutes from Mike Conley and Hyland, the Wolves ran a lot of point guard by committee and leaned into their positional size.
Not playing against the Blazers doesn't mean that Dillingham can't play against any good team, just not teams with elite ball-pressure.
Before the season, Finch discussed expanding the rotation but also using a situational ninth man. Given this, the importance of matchups is vital. Without a doubt, this would be an awful matchup for Dillingham, given his size and at times questionable decision-making.
Now you might be wondering why Hyland was a better fit for this matchup. While both players are similar, Hyland is slightly taller and has more experience. Admittedly, it's surprising that Hyland got some minutes, but it doesn't mean that he is above Dillingham in the rotation.
The Timberwolves take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, a matchup that's much more favorable to Dillingham. If the Kentucky product doesn't see the floor against one of the league's worst perimeter defenses, then it's fair to say he might not get much of a chance this season.
Nonetheless, that's not a scenario I expect, and Dillingham should get some level of opportunity this season. His shot creation and ability to generate rim pressure will benefit the Wolves in the right matchups.