MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn right Achilles just over a minute into Saturday’s Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, a team source told The Athletic.
His absence strikes a mighty blow for the Timberwolves, who rely on DiVincenzo for a multitude of contributions.
DiVincenzo took a deep 3-pointer at the 10:44 mark. It banged off the rim toward the left sideline. DiVincenzo, from a stationary position while watching the flight of the ball, suddenly took off to chase down the rebound. He planted with his right foot then immediately fell to the hardwood, grabbing at his heel.
It wasn’t apparent he was injured until, while seated on the court, he yelled for the training staff to come attend to him.
The Timberwolves gathered around DiVincenzo, recognizing the potential seriousness of his injury. He was helped off the court, keeping his right foot off the ground. But when he got near the bench, DiVincenzo defiantly finished the walk to the locker room under his own power.
DiVincenzo averaged 13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals through the first three games of the series. He’d also proved to be one of the Timberwolves’ best outside shooters, making 11 of 22 from behind the arc.
He’s a key perimeter defender, giving Minnesota flexibility with matchups and lineups, and also a big part of their transition game, which his hectic and aggressive style of play fueling the Timberwolves’ approach.
He started and played all 82 games for the first time in his career. His 30.4 minutes per game were also a career high.
In 2021, when a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, DiVincenzo suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle, causing him to miss the remainder of the playoffs.
Minnesota entered the game leading the series 2-1.
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