Through the first roughly 40 games of the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves were lucky not to sustain any major injuries. For the most part, they had all their working pieces healthy on a nightly basis, and any ailments (like Mike Conley's November finger injury) were minor ones that were able to be worked out fast. This was big in helping the Wolves figure out their new roster in the early parts of the season.
But then came the middle of January, and Minnesota all of a sudden started to see some relatively major injuries pile up that would begin to change their equation. Donte DiVincenzo's toe problem sidelined him, and then Julius Randle would also be sent to the infirmary toward the end of the month with a groin issue. In the blink of an eye, the Timberwolves went from perfectly healthy to down two of their top eight rotation guys.
What this meant was that Chris Finch was going to be forced to adapt. He was more than happy just sticking to his eight usual guys to begin the year, but with only six of those players healthy at the end of last month, some major challenges were presented. Finch has responded by bringing out the likes of Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark and Rob Dillingham for much bigger roles than they had been operating in before.
Finch has built out his rotation well with guys out
In large part, his move to roll with these younger guys has paid off. The utilization of Clark specifically has injected new life into Minnesota's defense, and all three of these players have brought their own unique impact in the minutes they have gotten. Many have criticized Finch for being stubborn, and he is not above reproach. But his ability to adapt by putting these three guys in a position to succeed has been a big reason the Timberwolves have remained afloat even after losing two of their best players.
This move has actually been very on-brand for Finch. Having coached in the G League and overseas before his time in the NBA, he is used to adapting and making things work with the players he has available on any given night. So in this way, it is not surprising he has found a way to get meaningful contributions out of Clark, Dillingham and Shannon.
In the long run, these players getting some burn in the middle of the season will likely bode well for a potential postseason run. Young guys typically need to see the floor for a bit and make adjustments before they make a legitimate impact, and that is precisely what we are seeing unfold right now. Being able to get solid play on a consistent basis from these three will be huge going forward.