The Minnesota Timberwolves are a team of diverse talent - and they have relied heavily on their veterans in recent years. Ever since the Wolves' first trip to the playoffs in the Anthony Edwards era, the front office has known they hold a one-of-a-kind opportunity in their hands, and have opted to bring in guys like Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley that have been there and done that to help the young star as he leads this team.
As time passes, the tenured veterans continue to be extremely valuable to Minnesota and their mission of winning a championship. But where the vets were largely able to carry this team by themselves in years past, we are now seeing the importance of the Timberwolves' young players grow as well. If you don't believe me, just look at the end of the Friday night game against the Utah Jazz.
Dane Moore pointed out that failing to have shot creators like Terrence Shannon Jr. and Rob Dillingham on the floor at the end of the contest in Salt Lake City ended up being detrimental in a pretty big way. Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Mike Conley closed the game. While that group of five put together a solid run to put the Wolves in a position to win, they ultimately failed to produce points when it mattered most.
Finch went to this lineup with 5:24 to go -- Wolves were down 104-109
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 1, 2025
The Wolves went on to win those final 5:24 12 to 8 -- that group largely played well. But the final three offensive possessions being the Conley airball, the McDaniels missed 3 and the DiVincenzo drive, did… https://t.co/FflAMG5PDB
Not having young guys on the floor may have swung Utah game
Minnesota had three possessions at the end of the game where they got zero total points on the board, and it was a scenario where you would think having Shannon or Dillingham on the floor could have potentially provided a lift. Chris Finch clearly wanted Conley on the floor to organize the offense, but that meant that the Wolves had one less guy who could put pressure on the rim and generate his own offense.
It ended up costing them, as DiVincenzo's potential game-winning layup failed to drop. Things like this become learning experiences as the coaching staff goes back and evaluates where they could have maybe done something different. The Timberwolves' rookies were expected to be contributors from the start, so it is not like confidence in them has ever truly been lacking.
But we are now seeing more scenarios unfold were it is apparent that the services of Shannon and Dillingham could prove highly effective. If Minnesota can figure out the ideal times and places to implement these guys and maximize their talents on a regular basis, it could be a game-changer down the stretch of the season.