What’s the Best Way To Reduce Mike Conley’s Workload?

The Minnesota Timberwolves have to reduce Mike Conley’s minutes this season.

At least, that is what everyone thought they would do after Conley injured his Achilles against the Denver Nuggets in the second round last season. The injury only kept Conley out for one game. However, it sparked concern about his long-term health as he entered Year 18 as Minnesota’s starting point guard.

Conley averaged 28.9 minutes over 76 regular-season games for the Timberwolves last year and only rested three times. Chris Finch doesn’t like to rest players. However, it seemed imperative for the Wolves to give Conley more games off this season, keeping him in the best shape possible come playoff time.

The Wolves tried relieving Conley’s stress last year by acquiring Monte Morris at the trade deadline. However, Conley was far too vital to Minnesota’s offense for Finch to consider downsizing his role or consistently giving him nights off.

“We still need someone to emerge there,” Finch said during media day when asked about reducing Conley’s minutes in 2024-25. “We feel comfortable with the options we do have, whether it be Nickeil, Anthony, [Joe Ingles,] and obviously Rob.”

Minnesota traded up to No. 8 in the draft to select point guard Rob Dillingham. They also acquired Donte DiVincenzo. He didn’t play a single minute as the traditional point guard for the New York Knicks last year, but DiVincenzo has shown in the past that he can be a secondary ball handler. And Nickeil Alexander-Walker spent time in the off-season working on his point guard skills.

The Wolves seemed better equipped on paper to downsize Conley’s role this year. However, Conley has missed three of Minnesota’s last five games, and it is still evident they don’t have a reliable option to replace the 37-year-old guard.

On Sunday, the Wolves finally discovered the recipe for success without Conley in the lineup against the defending champion Boston Celtics.

“I thought the guys were locked in and ready to go,” Finch said after Minnesota’s 107-105 loss against the Celtics. “Things started with a barrage of Brown threes, but once we weathered that storm, I thought we were all ready to go. I was really proud of the guys. The spirit was good, and the energy was great.”

Jaylen Brown came out of the gates shooting a white-hot 5 of 5 from deep, hanging 15 points on the TD Garden scoreboard in the first 3:34 minutes. In doing so, he immediately tested Minnesota’s maturity, with Conley missing his second straight game due to a toe sprain.

The Wolves desperately needed a vibe reset after their 110-105 road loss against the Toronto Raptors three days prior. Not only did they drop another game to an inferior opponent, but Rudy Gobert purposefully took an offensive three-second violation in clutch time after Julius Randle refused to pass the ball to Gobert in the paint.

Therefore, Brown’s long-range barrage to open Sunday’s matinee was even more demoralizing. The Celtics are known for their unstoppable runs, especially at home. The Wolves were down 11 points before they could digest their breakfast. Without Conley to settle the tide and provide stability, Minnesota could have given in and lost big. However, they immediately responded in an effort fueled by the committee.

Finch switched up the starting lineup, starting DiVincenzo instead of Alexander-Walker, who usually fills in for Conley. However, the Wolves shot 11 of 26 (42.3%) from the floor in the first quarter. They still outscored the Celtics 27-24 in the frame by flipping the script and locking in on defense. The Wolves held Boston to nine points on 3 of 16 (18.8%) shooting after Brown’s uncanny start, which was all part of Finch’s plan by starting DiVincenzo.

“It allows us to layer our defensive matchup a little better,” Finch told the media pregame. “Again, we feel like we’ve got eight starters, so it’s not an anti-Nickeil thing. We feel this is what’s best for tonight’s matchup.”

Everyone did their jobs in the first quarter. Anthony Edwards and Randle scored 11 of Minnesota’s 27 points, Jaden McDaniels knocked down two three-pointers, Gobert dominated on the glass (nine rebounds; five offensive rebounds), and the Wolves played energetic defense. The eight-minute-long stretch to close the first quarter was the most professional and mature the Wolves have looked this season without Conley.

It was a trend that continued throughout the entire game.

“You are coming in and playing a great team that gives you a lot of problems to solve,” Finch told the media postgame. “We kept having to make adjustments and did a pretty good job at that. [We] have to weather their hot shooting streaks. I thought we did that. We gave ourselves a chance to win the game. Very proud of our guys and our effort tonight.”

Like any reigning champion, the Celtics are great at creating problems for the opposition. However, Boston is unique because it usually creates insurmountable issues by going on big runs and burying its opponent at the speed of light. Joe Mazzulla’s club built three double-digit leads on Sunday, going up by 19 points in the third quarter. The game seemed to slip out of the Wolves’ hands numerous times, but they always had a counterpunch to offer.

The Wolves exhibited maturity without their leader in Boston. The Celtics ultimately pulled out a two-point win, and Minnesota fell to 8-8 on the season. Still, the Timberwolves kept themselves in a position to win until the final buzzer. They successfully found a way to replace Conley’s level-headed presence by collectively picking up the slack.

Tim Connelly expected Dillingham to make an impact Game 1. It has taken the 19-year-old rookie longer to prove to Finch that he deserves a rotational spot. However, Dillingham put together a career night, scoring 14 points on 6 of 10 from the floor. Dillingham looked like the microwave scorer he was at Kentucky. Still, the Wolves don’t have a reliable and direct Conley replacement. DiVincenzo and Alexander-Walker have both been sub-par as primary ballhandlers, and it would be far too premature to drop Dillingham into a starting position as he proves he deserves he is deserving of a larger role off the bench.

Minnesota’s lack of point guard depth has historically been a death sentence. It was last season and has plagued the team again this year. The Wolves are 0-3 without Conley this season. They’re a .500 team six weeks into the season and have dropped five of their last seven games. It is hard to take away moral victories while the team still fails to meet expectations, but Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction.

Hopefully, Conley will be able to rejoin the team on the court soon. Regardless, the Wolves must find ways to step up in his place and perform at a playoff-contending level as father time approaches Conley. Finch has no linear replacement for Minnesota Mike. However, the Wolves proved on Sunday that it doesn’t have to derail their season.