Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a lower-leg injury mere seconds into Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets. DiVincenzo had attempted a jump shot, began to backpedal ever so slightly, and then pushed off to try and chase down the long offensive rebound.
Unfortunately, DiVincenzo immediately went to the ground and thoughts of the worst-case scenario flooded the Target Center as the Timberwolves' sideline emptied in concern.
Donte DiVincenzo appeared to suffer non-contact injury but was able to walk back to locker room under his own power.pic.twitter.com/DfMWcZLKnS
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 26, 2026
It was a devastating turn of events, due in no small part to how quickly it transpired. Just 79 seconds into Game 4, one of the most important players on the court suffered an apparent injury despite not making contact with anyone around him.
It unfortunately didn't take long for Marc Stein of The Stein Line to reveal that the Timberwolves had ruled DiVincenzo out for the remainder of Game 4.
The Timberwolves say Donte DiVincenzo (right lower leg injury) is out for the remainder of tonight’s game.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 26, 2026
Some room for optimism exists, as DiVincenzo was able to walk to the back without assistance. As such, there's a glimmer of hope that he managed to avoid the worst-case scenario of a torn Achilles tendon, as many have since speculated he endured.
Regardless of what the injury proves to be, however, DiVincenzo was at the hands of a cruel twist of fate coming off of two tremendous postseason outings.
Donte DiVincenzo suffers potentially severe lower-leg injury
DiVincenzo entered Game 4 flying high off of two consecutive excellent performances. That began when he posted 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and one steal during the Timberwolves' 119-114 win over the Nuggets in Game 3.
DiVincenzo followed with 15 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and four steals as Minnesota took a 2-1 lead with a 113-96 victory.
Compounded by DiVincenzo's defensive brilliance, the Timberwolves seemed to crack the code in the backcourt. He and Ayo Dosunmu combined to provide stability on both ends of the floor, including their emergence as playmakers.
With DiVincenzo potentially down with a severe injury, however, a void has potentially been created within the Timberwolves' rotation at the point guard and shooting guard positions.
It's unfortunately noteworthy that Achilles injuries have become surprisingly common over the past year or so. During the 2025 NBA Playoffs alone, the likes of Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, and Jayson Tatum all suffered torn or ruptured Achilles tendons on non-contact injuries.
It remains unclear how severe DiVincenzo's injury was, but the tragic and heartbreaking timing of it remains a cloud hanging over the Timberwolves' head as Game 4 continues.
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