The Minnesota Timberwolves resume their regular season schedule coming out of the All-Star break on Friday when they take on the Dallas Mavericks at the Target Center. It seems likely that they will finish anywhere between third and seventh in the Western Conference, so there are still 26 important games remaining.
It would benefit the Wolves greatly if they can remain as healthy as they did in the first 56 regular season contests as the majority of their key players have barely missed any time, or none at all.
Three players on the team haven't missed a game
There are three players on the Timberwolves who have yet to miss a game this season. Those are Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid. The first two have started every game while Reid continues his role as one of the top reserves in the league.Â
Two other starters, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, have only missed two outings apiece. Do the easy math, and that’s just four contests missed from five of their top six players. Also, one of those missed games from Gobert wasn't because of injury, but because of a one-game suspension due to accumulating too many flagrant foul points.
Now, the one who has missed the most time is also their best player, Anthony Edwards. Thus far, he has missed 10 games after being out of action for just nine total in the previous three years. Ant-Man has appeared in 26 of the team’s last 29 contests, though.
Improved depth available in case of injuries
With the recent addition of Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota at least has another player more than capable of filling in when there is an absence in the lineup. The 26-year-old already looks comfortable with his new squad after just 3 games. The team has also seen Joan Beringer fill in admirably when needed after he barely played for the first couple of months of the season.
The team should also be seeing Terrence Shannon Jr. finally return on Friday. The second-year wing has been out since Christmas Day with a left foot injury, the only injury that the Wolves have experienced that has kept one of their players sidelined for a lengthy period. While it has been a disappointing season for him prior to the injury, perhaps Shannon Jr. can provide the scoring spark that was expected entering the year.
The added depth is nice, but fans would still love to see the Timberwolves be one of the healthier teams in the league.