The Minnesota Timberwolves are on a three-game winning streak to end 2024.
Sparked by a Christmas Day win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Minnesota Timberwolves have followed up with big wins over the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.
It takes the Timberwolves to 17-14, having fallen to .500 amid growing frustration at their inconsistent season.
It has been a bumpy season, which can be largely attributed to the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, which came as a shock to all concerned.
Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle were traded from the Knicks to the Timberwolves, and it has been tricky for them both to adjust.
The struggles have been made harder by the Timberwolves finishing third in the Western Conference last season, and this year only ranking eighth – and it was worse.
Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert spoke to reporters following the win over the Spurs, and referenced the struggles Donte DiVincenzo has endured mentally, at suddenly switching to a new team.
Gobert said he has been trying to help his teammate through it, having himself been traded from the Utah Jazz in 2022.
He explained: “We’ve talked a little bit from what I felt, I think he was still hanging on to some frustration from what happened and it’s human but when you want succeed, you’ve got to let that go.
“I think now from what I’m feeling he is finally present you know he’s happy, he’s himself, and he’s in the moment, he’s able to have fun, you know, being who he is and be fully mentally there, so it’s not easy.
“When we get traded, everyone processes things differently, I know how much Donte cares about winning.”
Donte DiVincenzo has made no secret of his struggles at having to leave a situation in New York where he felt settled.
He was just about to leave on a pre-season road trip with the Knicks when he got the call, and lamented that ‘people don’t understand’ the human side of being uprooted.
DiVincenzo scored 26 points in the team’s win over the Spurs, showing he is putting those frustrations behind him.
He has also spoken of his admiration for the support he gets from star teammate Anthony Edwards, while in terms of settling down, he’s not alone, with Julius Randle also discussing the difficulties experienced in suddenly being parachuted into a new situation.
Related Posts
