Of course, that hasn’t kept the Wolves president of basketball operations from shopping around for blockbuster upgrades before the February trade deadline.

He’s checked in on all sorts of possibly options, as any good decision-maker does. But really, the MN Timberwolves want a point guard they can feel good pairing with Anthony Edwards, which they clearly do not have right now.

Minnesota Timberwolves must land a point guard

Rob Dillingham was supposed to be that guy. Otherwise, Connelly wouldn’t have dealt a future first round pick for him. But he isn’t ready yet, and the Wolves are.

Conley and especially DiVincenzo have been pretty good overall. But when defense ratchets up in crunch time like they will in the playoffs, as Zach Kram (ESPN) highlighted in a recent piece at ESPN, Minnesota’s point guard problems become clear and obvious.

The Timberwolves have a clutch turnover rate of 18.4%, which is by far the worst in the league. The only other teams above 14% are the Clippers and Trail Blazers.

Turnover rate tends to decrease in the clutch, as teams take more free throws and use more one-on-one play. But the opposite is true for the Timberwolves, who rank 13th in overall turnover rate but suffer from a clutch-specific problem.

Those late-game giveaways have directly contributed to Timberwolves losses, like a last-minute collapse against Phoenix that kept them out of the NBA Cup quarterfinals. They can’t afford to sacrifice possessions in close games in the playoffs like they have until now.

Zach Kram – ESPN

The Minnesota Timberwolves have checked in on multiple point guards, including Coby White, Darius Garland, and even Kyrie Irving.

I guess we’ll just have to wait to see what Timmy Boy has in store over the next couple of months. You can’t help but feel like he is cooking up something big.

Donte DiVincenzo was inserted into the starting lineup, and Mike Conley has taken more of a reserve role. While that is a straightforward swap, it still doesn’t address many of the issues Chris Finch’s rotation experiences.

Truthfully, the whole situation is a byproduct of the relative flop that Rob Dillingham has been thus far. Things may be getting late early there, and point guard help might become necessary for the Wolves to advance in the playoffs this year.

Ja Morant was just the beginning for the Minnesota Timberwolves

Earlier this month it was revealed that the Minnesota Timberwolves have been poking around regarding a trade for Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. That fit is one worth exploring, but insider Mike Scotto sees the position as a whole worth watching for Minnesota.

While Edwards and McDaniels are viewed as young pillars for the Timberwolves, Minnesota’s due diligence on Morant signaled the team’s desire to upgrade at point guard and will continue to be on the agenda leading up to the trade deadline, league sources said. 

While starting guard Donte DiVincenzo has played well, averaging 13.8 points on 38.8 percent shooting from downtown, and Mike Conley is a capable backup point guard, power forward Julius Randle leads the team in assists (5.8). 

Combo guard Rob Dillingham, the former No. 8 pick of the 2024 draft, has yet to consistently carve out a significant role off the bench under coach Chris Finch, which has also been a noteworthy development.  

Mike Scotto – Hoops Hype

Donte DiVincenzo is in the starting role he had always craved with the New York Knicks. His 31.2 minutes per game are a career-high, and he’s averaging 13.8 points per game on 41.6% from the field. Nothing DiVincenzo has done is a negative.

The problem is the depth behind him. Conley is 38 years old and his 20.5 minutes per game are a career-low. He’s averaging just 6.0 points per game, and shooting just 39.7% from the field. His 43.1% three point rate has been nice, but he’s just not in a place to consistently contribute anymore.

Mike Conley called a team dinner in OKC last night for the Wolves to get together after two tough finishes in Sacramento and Phoenix.

“It was not optional,” Julius Randle joked.

They talked about getting on the same page and getting back to the way they were playing earlier.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) November 26, 2025

Then there’s Rob Dillingham. The 20-year-old does very little offensively, and his 37.5% shooting from the field is putrid. He’s also averaging almost as many assists (2.0) as he is turnovers (1.2) per game.

Dillingham isn’t a guy you can trust in a playoff rotation right now, and pushing DiVincenzo should be the goal. Morant would do that, but so too would many other potentially available players. The more Minnesota can get a creator at the point guard position, the better off Anthony Edwards can be away from the ball.

Currently at 10-7, coming off two bad losses and looking at an NBA Cup game against the 17-1 Thunder on Wednesday, Minnesota needs to turn the page.

In fact, it took all of three minutes for Anthony Edwards to depart against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, and unlike what we’ve seen in the past, Ant was not able to return. Monday, the Wolves superstar was ruled out out multiple weeks with a hamstring injury, leaving Chris Finch to shuffle his rotation.

Mike Conley rejoins Timberwolves starting lineup

Just before the season started, the Wolves announced that Donte DiVincenzo was going to take the place of Mike Conley as his starting point guard. But now with Edwards out, Mike Conley is back in.

“It’s comfortable for us. It’s easy and it feels like the right thing to do right now.” — Finch in Conley starting. Said he thinks he can take some of the playmaking burden off of Randle.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 27, 2025

At 38 years old, Mike Conley is no spring chicken. The former 4th overall pick is now in his 19th season. Last year with the Timberwolves, the veteran played in 71 games. He started 64 of those contests and averaged 8.2 points per game.

Not unsurprisingly Conley’s production has started to tail off. He shot just 40% from the field and only 41% from deep. Two years ago, his first full season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Conley connected on 44.2% of his three-point attempts.

It’s likely that starting minutes will over-extend the aging veteran. After all, that’s why Finch decided to make a change in the starting lineup out of the gate. However, in what is hopefully a short stint with Edwards out, Conley’s experience is easy to lean on.

Timberwolves suddenly thin at guard

With Edwards out, and Rob Dillingham already dealing with a broken nose, Conley joins the starting lineup with options dwindling. Terrence Shannon Jr. is capable of playing the point guard role, but isn’t an ideal fit there. When Edwards left the game on Sunday, Bones Hyland immediately stepped in.

Conley has played all three games for Minnesota thus far, but is averaging a career-low 15.3 minutes per game. He scored six points against Indiana, but had none against Los Angeles and just three in the season opener.

Finch will need his veteran to facilitate from the point guard position, as well as provide some scoring. It will give DiVicenzo a bit more time to play off the ball, and Julius Randle can focus on being a volume scorer as well.

The Timberwolves, in their trees uniforms for the second-straight night, face Denver as 6.5 point underdogs on Monday night. They welcome Los Angeles to Target Center on Wednesday to close out the month.

It looked as though the Minnesota Timberwolves may avoid that fate, and even got positive news in that the Los Angeles Lakers would be shorthanded at Target Center this week.

But after you grab that late night cup of coffee and you turn on FanDuel Sports Network North to watch the Wolves for the first time this season, you’ll notice a big difference in the starting lineup.

Minnesota Timberwolves name Donte DiVincenzo starter

And that is because, according to NBA insider Chris B. Haynes, head coach Chris Finch has made a change at starting point guard. Former veteran starter Mike Conley is heading to the bench. In his place will be… Donte DiVincenzo.

Sources: Minnesota Timberwolves will award Donte DiVincenzo the starting point guard spot to open the 2025-26 NBA season. Mike Conley will remain a vital piece. More on The Association on @NBATV at 5pm PT. pic.twitter.com/f2e6WL3fVV

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 22, 2025

Related: Timberwolves Star Questionable for Season Opener

There is a lot we can take away from this news, and most of it isn’t that positive. First, there was talk that Mike Conley was feeling stronger and healthier, entering this season, than he has in years previous.

That led some to believe that he could return to more of the guy we saw two years ago, who averaged 11.4 points and 5.9 assists in 2023-24, and less like the Mike Conley who averaged 8.2 points and 4.5 assists per night last year. Clearly, that is not what the Minnesota Timberwolves saw during training camp.

Of course, Father Time is undefeated and Conley is 38 years old. If the Wolves were relying on the 18-year veteran for big minutes in 2025-26, that would have been a gross miscalculation.

Rob Dillingham not developing like MN Timberwolves hoped?

Much more worrisome than Mike’s decline is the slow-moving development of former No. 8 overall pick, Rob Dillingham. If Conley is not capable of a starter role any longer, the second-year point guard out of Kentucky was supposed to be the natural heir to that position.

Rob Dillingham is as shifty and as quickly as almost any player in the league, but it’s good seeing him learning how to change gears and play with more pace & patience in year-2 pic.twitter.com/GP2XEiGufc

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) October 17, 2025

Unfortunately, Rob did not impress Chris Finch and the Timberwolves enough to earn that spot, which is probably why we’ll see the 28-year-old DiVincenzo in the starting five Wednesday night against the Blazers.

• Donte DiVincenzo 2024-25 Stats: 62 Gms | 11.7 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 3.6 APG | 39.7% 3PT

For a more positive spin, Donte historically plays better when he starts, so this change should help get his best. No Mike Conley or Rob Dillingham also means we will see Anthony Edwards (if he plays) on the ball more often, to start games, until one of those natural point guards take the floor with him.

An Ant + DiVincenzo backcourt could also cause some matchup problems in the future, depending on the night. Still, there’s no doubt the Minnesota Timberwolves would trade any of those positives in for better play out of Dilly, who is still extremely young, at just 21.

And since the moment that their latest playoff run came to an abrupt halt, the Wolves have made their plan A offseason blueprint pretty clear. Connelly and his front office have their target set on trading for former MVP and 10x All-NBA selection Kevin Durant.

Minnesota has been interested in Durant going back months, and reportedly got very close to completing a deal right before the NBA Trade Deadline. The moment their season ended, they were back on the KD trail.

And since the Timberwolves + Kevin Durant steam heated back up this week, there are a lot of people in the basketball world who think the Wolves will be the team to bring the KD trade drama in Phoenix to an end.

Bobby Marks lays out Kevin Durant trade blueprint for Minnesota Timberwolves

One of those experts is former NBA GM – turned ESPN insider and cap guru, Bobby Marks, who concocted a beautiful trade scenario for Durant that aired on SportsCenter Friday morning.

The best part: It doesn’t include Jaden McDaniels — who has reportedly been off the table during these discussions — or rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon Jr. Instead, Marks has the Minnesota Timberwolves giving up only Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo and Mike Conley, three of their worst playoff performers in 2025.

If the Timberwolves swap out their worst three playoff players for Kevin Durant, we're hanging a Tim Connelly banner at Target Center @BobbyMarks42 pic.twitter.com/iIeQfLkXI0

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) June 13, 2025

“I look at it as when you have ‘win now’ players and players like Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, and certainly Donte DiVincenzo. Then you have that draft pick that we talked about, the 17th pick in the draft. That’s the only pick they’re allowed to trade. That accomplishes a lot of what Phoenix is looking to do. Remember their owner said, Mat Ishbia, that they don’t want to rebuild. So you get three quality players. You get a first round pick for Kevin Durant. The two names not mentioned is Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Both players have a player option. They are not allowed to be traded as part of this deal.”

Bobby Marks – ESPN

The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t need to trade for Kevin Durant because he’s Anthony Edwards’ favorite player. Though that doesn’t hurt, they should trade for him because his addition could be the key piece that puts them over the top.

If Connelly is able to land Durant for the three players Marks mentions, it’d be a huge win. We all know what Gobert offers defensively, but his impact is forever limited in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Conley is 37 years old and his play fell off a cliff this season.

While DiVincenzo brought a toughness and leadership quality to the Wolves that showed late in the regular season, he completely tanked when they needed him the most, in the playoffs.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves *Almost* All In on Kevin Durant…

Including the 17th overall pick may be a tough pill for the MN Timberwolves to swallow, but for a return like Durant, it’s one they should stomach — especially when they get to keep both of last year’s first rounders. Let’s be honest, there is nothing certain about the NBA Draft, when picking in the teens.

Is Kevin Durant worth chasing?

We don’t know that the Wolves will rise to the top of Kevin Durant suitors, when this dust finally settles. But one thing is for sure. The KD smoke isn’t clearing out of Target Center any time soon. Not unless a deal gets done.

Kevin Durant isn’t a spring chicken anymore. But at 36 years old, he is still playing at an incredibly high level, averaging 26.6 points per game on 52.7% shooting in 62 games last season. His 43% from deep was his best in a season since 2020-21.

1 minute of Kevin Durant being clutch this season so far. pic.twitter.com/ZCcKPHabgM

— depressed goatman (@nocontextKD35) November 7, 2024

Durant has dealt with a few injuries in recent years. In fact, he’s played 55 games or less in three of the past five seasons. That said, he remained relatively healthy the last couple years, playing 75 games in 2023-24 and 62 games in 2024-25.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Among Teams to Deny New York Knicks

Entering the final year of a four-year contract, KD has played for four different teams during his 17-year NBA career, including the Thunder (9), Nets (3), Warriors (3) and Suns (3). Hopefully, the Minnesota Timberwolves are his fifth.

But as the Wolves starting point guard was taking in the Vikings game, and enjoying the perks of being their guest of honor, little did he know that, back in Medina, his home was being robbed by a group of well-prepared burglars.

Mike Conley’s house broken into, robbed

According to a report Wednesday afternoon by Paul Walsh (Star Tribune), Mike Conley’s house was robbed on Sunday afternoon, while he was at U.S. Bank Stadium. It was one of three houses in the area hit by the same group of robbers, police believe.

All houses were empty, at the time of the robberies. Police say suspects took a “yet to be determined amount of jewelry”.

The break-in at Conley’s sprawling residence in Medina occurred mid-afternoon and was the second of three carried out that day by at least two suspects while the homes were unoccupied, said Police Chief Jason Nelson. In each instance, the chief said, the thieves got away with a yet-to-be determined amount of jewelry.

Paul Walsh – Star Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves guard robbed by professionals…?

It doesn’t sound like this was a random group of kids robbing houses on a whim. These burglars were prepared, and had their attacks methodically planned out. Houses were all approached from the backyards, where in the case of Conley, there were no cameras.

Related: Sounds Like the Timberwolves Plan to Offer Mike Conley a Lucrative Coaching Job

According to Walsh’s report, police claim that the only surveillance video retrieved came from a car driving by Mike’s house that is believed to be that of the suspects. Even more impressive, and chilling: the burglars broke directly into the bedrooms of their victims, and were able to “scoop up the jewels” and leave within 5 minutes.

In each case, the suspects approached the houses from the rear, broke in through lower-level windows, entered primary bedrooms, scooped up what jewels they could and were out within five minutes, the chief said.

Paul Walsh – Star Tribune

We do not know, because the police are only going to release information that they believe could help their investigation. Still, it does not sound as if they have a lot of leads, witnesses or leads, in the case.

Imagine being Mike Conley the last couple of days. How can you feel comfortable sleeping in your own house, where your kids sleep in different rooms, when you know that there are professional-level burglars out there who know how to enter your house silently, and leave within 5 minutes?

Related: Anthony Edwards’ New Netflix Series Has a Release Date

Of course, extra precautions have likely taken place, since the robberies. Even so, given the financial resources Conley has, I cannot imagine he is staying at his home, right now. And that is sad. The one place you are supposed to feel most safe.

The number to know is 154-0. That’s the record for NBA teams with a 3-0 lead during an NBA playoff series. Jason Kidd’s Dallas Mavericks are currently in that spot, and while the Minnesota Timberwolves are the higher seed, they appear set on representing the Western Conference in the NBA Final. Mike Conley says not so fast.

Mike Conley is Here for the Drama

So far the storylines of the Western Conference Finals have revolved around Karl-Anthony Towns failing to show up, and Anthony Edwards looking like a shell of himself. Despite those realities, Chris Finch’s team has lost all three games by a combined 13 points. That might be where Mike Conley is drawing inspiration from.

When Conley walked past The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and a gaggle of other reporters, following the Wolves’ Game 3 loss, he told them to get ready, because they were about to cover history, obviously suggesting Minnesota has a four-game win streak brewing.

.@JonKrawczynski⁩ telling ⁦@DanBarreiroKFAN⁩ what Mike Conley said to him after gm3 is the only thing you need to hear today. “Jon, you’re gonna have a hell of a story to write. We’re gonna make history.” pic.twitter.com/iOrX6kJIoj

— Amy Hockert (@AmyHockert) May 28, 2024

“[Sunday] night, at the end of the night, I’m standing in the hallway after the locker room was closing and Mike Conley walks by and he kind of shakes his head. He just looks at me and he says, ‘Hey Jon, you’re going to have a helluva story to write. We’re going to make history, so just hang with us.’ And it wasn’t a whisper. There were a bunch of writers around us, there were a bunch of people around. I said, I’m ready when you are Mike.”

Jon Krawczynski telling Dan Barreiro about Conley’s historic prediction (via KFAN Radio)

Related: Timberwolves Players and Coaches Saying the Right Things Heading into Game 4

History Has to Start Somewhere, Conley Says Why Not Us?

It certainly has to start somewhere. History is only available to us so we can find a way to challenge it. If the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to make Mike Conley’s prediction come true, then it will take something we have never seen before coming to fruition. Of course it was just last year when the Boston Celtics pushed the Eastern Conference Finals to a Game 7 after going down 3-0, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Sports offer opportunities for these sorts of storylines to play out all of the time. No 16-seed had ever won a game in the NCAA Tournament until the Retrievers of UMBC pulled off an upset in 2018, and then it happened again last season when Fairleigh Dickinson accomplished the same feat.

At some point an NBA team will overcome a 3-0 deficit, and for Mike Conley’s team, winning four games in a row is something they have already accomplished over five different stretches this season alone.

SENSATIONAL. pic.twitter.com/yVUzQe81BS

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 27, 2024

Related: Timberwolves Players and Coaches Saying the Right Things Heading into Game 4

Anthony Edwards seems to think that Karl-Anthony Towns is going to come out hot from deep, and keeping the energy from his Michael Jordan-esque slam would help himself offensively. Conley is going to need teammates to help cash this check, and the bank would be paying out in epic proportions.

It was this move that allowed the Rudy Gobert experiment to get back on the positive track, which in turn put the Wolves on a course to the Western Conference Finals. Conley’s arrival immediately changed Minnesota’s identity from that of a young, immature team that into a veteran-led squad that rarely lets the moment get too big.

Minnesota Timberwolves plan to hire Mike Conley as an assistant coach?

And there is no mistake around Target Center and Mayo Clinic Square regarding just how important Mike Conley is to the Timberwolves’ newfound success. That’s why, according to local insider Charley Walters (Pioneer Press), it will be a surprise if the Wolves don’t offer Mike a “high paying assistant coaching position”, when his playing career is over.

It’ll be surprising if Mike Conley, 36, isn’t offered a high-paying assistant coaching job by the Timberwolves when his playing days are over. Meanwhile, Conley is guaranteed $21 million through the 2025-26 season.

Charley Walters – Pioneer Press

If you have heard Mike Conley talk people or basketball, this news won’t surprise you either. We are talking one of the most calm, cool and collected cats in the NBA.

Not only that, but the 2024 NBA Teammate of the Year is a fountain of basketball knowledge who clearly knows how to package all that information and successfully deliver it to his peers in a way they understand.

When you hear Mike Conley speak, he’s just so composed and such a leader. Losing obviously bothers him, but he talks about the things that truly need to get better at and correct. The small things. #Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/Ic3RTfecmE

— Nadine Babu (@NadineBabu) May 25, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks are back tonight for game 3, which is on the road, in Dallas. Going down 3-0 is not an option. The Wolves need to get a win tonight so they can flip the momentum back in their direction and guarantee a game 5 back in Minneapolis.

Related: Latest NBA Mock Draft Lands Minnesota Timberwolves an Under the Radar Stud

We will see if Mike Conley, who is questionable tonight with the same calf injury that has been bothering him for most of the NBA Playoffs, can use his leadership to help wake Anthony Edwards up.Because Minnesota needs Ant to be a much better version of himself going forward, if they are going to have any chance of climbing back into this series.

This is the same franchise that hired David Kahn, who drafted Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio over Steph Curry. The same organization that tried to pay Joe Smith under the table and failed miserably to build around Kevin Garnett. Oh, and don’t forget about the more recent Jimmy Butler debacle.

In other words, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing in this basketball town, since the Timberwolves blossomed into existence 25 years ago. Despite some exciting moves like acquiring Jimmy Butler and Rudy Gobert, there have been mostly missteps and disappointments along the way.

But now, the Timberwolves are rewriting their narrative, demonstrating resilience and determination as they vie for ultimate basketball glory, which now lies just EIGHT wins away.

8 More #LockIn #5 pic.twitter.com/wCQDARFcI2

— Anthony Edwards (@theantedwards_) May 20, 2024

Sure, we can reminisce about the past all we like, but let’s dive into why this roster has real potential for success. Of course, it all begins with the fantastic draft picks like Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid. But let’s not forget the significant trades that both boosted and challenged the Timberwolves’ journey to greatness.

Starting with the Rudy Gobert trade, which has faced criticism even to this day, it’s becoming increasingly evident that the Timberwolves owe a lot to him. Without Gobert’s presence and the defensive mindset he’s brought, it’s doubtful the team would still be playing right now.

Minnesota Timberwolves acquiring D’Angelo Russell changed everything

But what truly shifted the trajectory of the franchise was the acquisition of All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell in 2020. There was a lot of anticipation surrounding this move. It marked the end of Andrew Wiggins’ time in Minnesota, and the beginning of what many believed was a perfect combination between DLo and his very good friend, Karl-Anthony Towns. Then, they hit on Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Unfortunately, reality fell short of expectations in 2021 and 2022. Despite their collective talent, the team only managed to deliver frustrating inconsistency, a few play-in wins and two 1st round playoff eliminations.

Related: Local Comedian Buys Anthony Edwards Inspired URL to Help TNT Crew Explore Minnesota

Then, enter Tim Connelly and the Rudy Gobert experiment, a couple of years after originally trading for D’Angelo Russell. Teaming up Russell and Gobert was intended to last at least one full season. It felt like a good marriage, given that the pick and roll was thought to be both players’ strength.

That’s no how it worked out in reality, though. DLo clashed with Rudy and seemed to openly pick on him in the locker room and leave him out to dry to media. Obviously, that caused fractures within the team.

Yeah Dlo had to be moved. This is horrible. Definitely hurt the culture of the team and chemistry. No wonder Rudy’s so happy about getting Conley. pic.twitter.com/HNaYqCAayM

— Zach Rudeen (@zachrudeen) February 10, 2023

Thus, the DLo Gobert experiment ended abruptly when Russell was traded in February 2023, before they completed one season together. Enter Mike Conley.

While D’Angelo Russell was a Wolf, the team posted a record of 85 wins and 88 losses. In the 2022-2023 season alongside Gobert, before he was dealt, the Wolves were exactly a .500 ballclub, at 27-27. That’s the epitome of average, right there.

Related: Draymond Green Finally Says Something Nice About the Minnesota Timberwolves

Since Tim Connelly orchestrated the trade that landed D’Angelo Russell in LA and Mike Conley + Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Minnesota, the team dynamic has undergone a significant shift. Suddenly, Gobert is a team leader and the point guard position is a connector, not divider.

The priority is now winning, above all else.

Mike Conley was exactly what the Timberwolves needed

In Mike Conley’s first full season as Minnesota’s starting point guard, the Timberwolves posted one of the most impressive seasons (56-26) in franchise history. And now, they are just eight wins away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

D’Angelo Russell may have dazzled with some thrilling moves and occasional standout performances, but let’s talk about Tim Connelly now there’s a guy who seems like he’s pulled off something truly brilliant with this trade.

At one point, when the Minnesota Timberwolves had this starting lineup, they had the worst net rating in the NBA.

It just never worked.

Then, they replaced D’Angelo Russell with Mike Conley. After some time together, they grew into the Timberwolves’ first Conference Finals team… pic.twitter.com/U4cgPKEJa6

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 20, 2024

As the saying goes, numbers speak volumes. So when you swap out one point guard for another and almost immediately go from one of the worst NET rating teams in the NBA to being on the verge of an NBA Finals appearance, the evidence speaks for itself.

Was D’Angelo Russell really that bad, or is Mike Conley just that good? But ultimately, the scoreboard tells the real story in the NBA, and Conley’s contributions have propelled the team to unprecedented success as they strive for a shot at the championship.

Related: Flip Saunders is Smiling Down on Timberwolves Dream He Started

But let us not forget that, by trading for DLo, the Wolves found what they did not want in their point guard. Then, they used that divisive personality to acquire the exact asset needed to put this Minnesota Timberwolve puzzle together properly, for the first time in two decades.

So, did we get what we originally were hoping for, when D’Angelo Russell was signed? No, but without DLo, there is no Mike Conley. And without Mike Conley, nobody would be bringing their asses to Minnesota this week. Sometimes, a problem can be a good thing because it helps you find the proper solution.

Going up against Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Minnesota Timberwolves were going to need everyone firing on all cylinders if they were going to push this series to seven games. The defending champions have been there, done that, and it appeared that Mike Malone’s squad was ready to go in for the kill. But then, the Wolves stepped up and their stars shined brightest.

1. Anthony Edwards proved it for Minnesota Timberwolves

It was presumably going to take a Michael Jordan type of moment for the Minnesota Timberwolves to extend the series. Anthony Edwards answered that call and did so without needing to put up a gaudy stat line. His 27 points weren’t exceptional, but the Timberwolves guard was a large reason that Jamal Murray couldn’t find success, despite his claims to the contrary.

Anthony Edwards, SHOWTIME! 🤩

📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/5zpzuDYgUZ

— ESPN (@espn) May 17, 2024

Edwards told Nuggets staffers he would see them for Game 7, and he delivered on the promise. Checking out with more than eight minutes still left in the 4th quarter, Edwards threw up a “7” to notate what was coming, and you can bet he’ll be ready for that action as well.

2. Karl-Anthony Towns was Minnesota Timberwolves’ sneaky play

When Karl Anthony Towns remains under control, he is among the best players in the NBA. Minnesota frustrated both Jokic and Murray early in the series, and it wasn’t a coincidence that their performance faltered because of it. As Towns experienced some of that on his own, he too looked at a downtick in production.

Playing 29 minutes, Towns had only ten points, but he contributed 13 rebounds and most importantly was never in foul trouble. By locking down Jokic defensively, and staying smart about it, he allowed Micah Nori and Chris Finch the opportunity to move pieces around and let Rudy Gobert work as the last line of defense. In his least impactful offensive showing, Towns was at his best.

Related: Timberwolves Cook Nuggets to Force Game 7

3. Mike Conley Gives Minnesota Timberwolves leadership they need

As Edwards mentioned postgame, one massive key for the Timberwolves was the return of Mike Conley. Missing Game 5 due to an achilles injury, he was back on the court as the floor general. While NBA teams have much more fluid positions than they ever have previously, no one resembles a true point guard than Conley.

.@JonKrawczynski: "What do you think led to the response that you guys had tonight?"

Ant: "Shit, we got Mike Conley back. That was it" pic.twitter.com/WRFalxmCWl

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 17, 2024

Being able to direct the offensive game flow and keep the group composed, you can see the veteran leadership permeate from his position on the court. Conley will get a couple more days to rest before Game 7, and Gobert has already instructed him he’s never allowed to leave him again.

4. Chris Finch’s adjustments were all Minnesota Timberwolves

In a long series the adjustments are virtually all about counter-punching. The Timberwolves had a flustering defensive presence that again looked like the first two games of the series. They were intense while no player drew more than three fouls, and three of the five starters recorded just one.

The officiating allowed Minnesota an opportunity to be physical worked in their favor, but the Timberwolves played within themselves to utilize it. A swarming defensive presence allowed the offensive side of things to take care of themselves. There’s no other way to describe a 45-point drubbing as anything but dominance.

5. Pregame locker room highlight hype video

Less than an hour before game 6 tipped off at a rowdy Target Center on Thursday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves coaching staff ushered the team into a room that had a big screen ready for someone to press play.

According to The Athletic, there was doubt and nervousness throughout the roster when the team entered that room, an anxiety that was no longer weighing on the squad when they exited. Why? A highlight package from games one and two, with good background music.

The integration of music as a backdrop to the clips was new, with Chicago-born rapper G Herbo among those featured. Those sounds, they said, had a way of striking up the emotions.

“I think the last three games, we (were) all down on ourselves, just trying to point the finger, blame somebody,” said Edwards, who had 27 points, four assists, four rebounds and a team-best plus-43 rating. “And then today before the game, the coaches and the whole staff did a great job of putting a clip together (of) the plays that we made in the two games that we won against these guys. Everybody started to believe after that little edit that they put together, and I could tell the energy shifted. …So that was big time. I told them, ‘That was big time putting that edit together.’”

This, in essence, was their version of “Rocky II.” That’s the Timberwolves’ hope, anyway.

The Athletic