Much was made about Donte DiVincenzo being named the Timberwolves’ starting point guard entering the season (even if Anthony Edwards does much of the ball-handling). Pundits point out that the position is a weakness for Minnesota, and many believe a trade for a lead guard is coming at some point this season. Any point guard who is rumored to be traded this season will almost instantaneously be linked to the Timberwolves as a potential new home.
While DiVincenzo isn’t going to post eye-popping box score numbers (currently averaging 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists), his impact goes beyond raw counting stats. The Timberwolves almost always win the minutes he is on the court, which was the case again on Sunday in their victory over the Spurs.
The Timberwolves normally win the minutes that DiVincenzo is on the court
In Sunday’s 125-112 win over the Spurs, DiVincenzo saw 29 minutes of action. It was a strong performance for the 28-year-old as he scored 18 points (7-14 from the field, 4-9 from 3-point range), grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists, and didn’t turn the ball over. With the Timberwolves down four entering the fourth quarter, DiVincenzo played the first 10:31 of the frame before exiting with Minnesota owning a commanding 14-point lead.
For the game, DiVincenzo was a plus-13. That is now the seventh straight game in which the 6-foot-4 guard has finished in the positive in plus/minus column. The Timberwolves have also won his minutes in 11 of the last 12 outings, and 14 of their last 16. While plus/minus doesn't always fully encapsulate the impact a player is providing, when someone is constantly in the positive, it certainly does begin to show that it is beneficial having them on the court.
Playing in each of the team’s first 20 games, DiVincenzo now leads the team at an overall plus-142. They have been a minus-41 overall when DiVincenzo is off the court. Likewise, DiVincenzo has a plus-16.1 on/off swing.
Not only are the Timberwolves mostly winning DiVincenzo’s minutes, but he is also playing more than he ever has in his career. Now in his eighth season, DiVincenzo is currently averaging a career-high 31.3 minutes per game. That is nearly 5.5 more than the 25.9 he averaged last season, his first with the Timberwolves. Prior to this season, the most minutes DiVincenzo averaged was 29.1 in 2023-24 while with the Knicks.
As the Wolves, season continues DiVincenzo will remain a crucial piece of the team.