Several times over the weeks, faced with the difficulties of his team, Chris Finch had been questioned about a possible change of five majors. But the coach had always dismissed this idea, believing that it was not the miracle solution.
Nevertheless, “I don’t think I’m particularly stubborn”he also slipped. So much so that, Monday evening, after three defeats in a row, and before facing the Clippers, the technician gave in. “I read the newspapers and everyone told me that. You know what? I should change five majors”, he continues.
The Wolves coach thus put Mike Conley on the bench, to make Donte DiVincenzo a starter. Quite a change since the 37-year-old playmaker – who has struggled offensively for a few weeks – had not been a substitute since his arrival in Minneapolis, and he has only started on the bench nine times since 2009 in almost 1,000 matches (996 precisely)!
“I kind of asked him for permission to do it, given his caliber and his incredible career”says Chris Finch, who spoke about it with the player during the morning shootaround. “He was totally willing to do what was necessary. He was rather favorable to this idea. »
The Anthony Edwards – Donte DiVincenzo duo showed great things
This choice did not bear fruit at the start of the match, since the Clippers won the first quarter by quite a margin. On the other hand, when we returned from the locker room after the break, we saw what the Anthony Edwards – Donte DiVincenzo association could look like. The two players made the powder speak with award-winning shots in a highlight.
“It’s clear that this training was in difficulty at the beginning, but it’s like everything, it’s going to take time,” indicates the coach, who thus confirms that this change will take place over time. “I think it was much better in the third quarter, where we found the rhythm. »
And Mike Conley in all this? The former Jazz player had a good game, especially with his 8 points in a row in the second quarter to revive Minnesota. He finished with 11 points at 4/8 shooting, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 26 minutes, one of his best outings in a month.
| Mike Conley | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2007-08 | M.E.M. | 53 | 26 | 42.8 | 33.0 | 73.2 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 9.4 |
| 2008-09 | M.E.M. | 82 | 31 | 44.2 | 40.6 | 81.7 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 10.9 |
| 2009-10 | M.E.M. | 80 | 32 | 44.5 | 38.7 | 74.3 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 5.3 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 12.0 |
| 2010-11 | M.E.M. | 81 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 73.3 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 13.7 |
| 2011-12 | M.E.M. | 62 | 35 | 43.3 | 37.7 | 86.1 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 12.7 |
| 2012-13 | M.E.M. | 80 | 35 | 44.0 | 36.2 | 83.0 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 14.6 |
| 2013-14 | M.E.M. | 73 | 34 | 45.0 | 36.1 | 81.5 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 17.2 |
| 2014-15 | M.E.M. | 70 | 32 | 44.6 | 38.6 | 85.9 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 15.8 |
| 2015-16 | M.E.M. | 56 | 31 | 42.2 | 36.3 | 83.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 15.3 |
| 2016-17 | M.E.M. | 69 | 33 | 46.0 | 40.8 | 85.9 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 6.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 20.5 |
| 2017-18 | M.E.M. | 12 | 31 | 38.1 | 31.2 | 80.3 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 17.1 |
| 2018-19 | M.E.M. | 70 | 34 | 43.8 | 36.4 | 84.5 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 21.1 |
| 2019-20 | UTH | 47 | 29 | 40.9 | 37.5 | 82.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 14.4 |
| 2020-21 | UTH | 51 | 29 | 44.4 | 41.2 | 85.2 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 16.2 |
| 2021-22 | UTH | 72 | 29 | 43.5 | 40.8 | 79.6 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 13.7 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 67 | 30 | 42.8 | 38.5 | 83.4 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 6.7 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 11.9 |
| 2022-23 * | UTH | 43 | 30 | 40.8 | 36.2 | 81.3 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 7.7 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 10.7 |
| 2022-23 * | MIN | 24 | 31 | 46.0 | 42.0 | 86.3 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 14.0 |
| 2023-24 | MIN | 76 | 29 | 45.7 | 44.2 | 91.1 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 5.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 11.4 |
| 2024-25 | MIN | 30 | 25 | 34.9 | 36.0 | 92.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 4.4 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 8.0 |
| Total | 1131 | 32 | 43.8 | 38.6 | 82.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 14.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
