Timberwolves, boosted by the bench, roll to victory over Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY – Imagine how far-fetched the following scenario sounded a month ago in Timberwolves-land: The Wolves defeated the Jazz 138-113 on Thursday behind major contributions off the bench from Rob Dillingham, Luka Garza and Jaylen Clark.

Hard as that would have been to believe then, it became reality Thursday, when the Wolves won their fifth consecutive game on the backs of their depth. Those three pitched in alongside Anthony Edwards, who had a brilliant night with 36 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and three blocks.

“I can imagine the confidence it gives the coaches. Gave me a lot of confidence and trust in the young guys,” said Edwards, who was named to his third All-Star team earlier Thursday. “I love days like today.”

The Wolves had a slow start to the evening and were down as many as 15 in the first quarter before the bench checked in and took over the game. Then Edwards turned it into a rout with a 16-point, four-assist third quarter that the Wolves won 44-22.

But the end of the bench also had to step up on a night the Wolves were down three rotation players: previously injured Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley (a game-time decision because of a sprained right thumb) and Julius Randle, who exited the game in the second quarter because of right groin soreness.

Dillingham, along with Naz Reid (back from a one-game absence because of an illness) got the Wolves' offense humming in the second quarter. Combined they started the night 7-for-7, and Dillingham finished with 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting to go with eight assists. With Conley out, the Wolves needed quality minutes at point guard, and Dillingham delivered.

“There was really no figuring it out,” Dillingham said of the different lineups the Wolves deployed Thursday. “We work out every day together. We get ready to play together. Them guys put in the work, even though they don’t get to show it all the time. They put in the work.”

BOXSCORE: Wolves 138, Jazz 113

NBA standings

Next to Dillingham in the Wolves locker room was Clark, who played significant minutes for the second consecutive game. Clark spent last season rehabilitating a ruptured Achilles, but the Wolves liked his defensive acumen; he was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at UCLA before he got hurt. The past two nights he has guarded the way they thought he could when they drafted him.

“He’s got a maturity that we could use,” Finch said of his decision to put Clark in the rotation. “Just felt like he deserved a chance. Been thinking that way for a little while, and Wednesday [against Phoenix] was certainly an opportunity to do it.”

Clark’s minutes took him by surprise Wednesday; he didn’t go through his usual pregame routine before the game. He still acquitted himself well, as he did Thursday, when he finished with six points and was a plus-34 in 17 minutes. He didn’t find out Conley was sitting out until just before the game.

“I took my nap and everything,” Clark said. “It was a different mentality tonight because after last night, I may get a chance to play. … I figured out us young guys we’re gonna have to really contribute. That was a good win for us. I didn’t feel like there was a lot of dropoff. We all came to play.”

That last sentence personifies Garza in his three seasons with the Wolves. He has always bided his time behind a glut of frontcourt players. But he has always been ready to contribute when called upon. He earned high praise from Finch after Thursday.

“He’s one of my most favorite players I’ve ever coached, for so many reasons,” Finch said. “He’s stayed always ready. Always in a great mood and been an unbelievable example for all the other young guys. Every time we put him in, he produces. Silly me, I probably should play him more, but with the number of bigs and the way we’ve had the roster constructed over the last couple of years, it’s not easy to do, but he’s always, always ready.”

Garza was ready again. For some reason, the Wolves need him in games at Utah. He scored 25 points in a game two seasons ago at the Delta Center, and he also played significant minutes in consecutive road games last season in Utah when both Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert were hurt. Garza had 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting Thursday, with Dillingham admiring his confidence in the post.

“He get in the post, he not nervous or nothing,” Dillingham said. “Same move, and he knows it’s good because he works on it that much. I just respect all them for putting in the work even though they don’t get their chance all the time.”

Nobody knows what that’s like better than Garza, but when the Wolves needed him, he was there.

“Getting a chance to go out there and help the team win, that’s a great feeling,” Garza said. “I know just from experience, whenever these opportunities come, you don’t want to let them pass by. … I’ve seen opportunities pass by me, and I’m not letting that happen anymore, and I think some of these guys have the same mindset.”