Donte DiVincenzo hit the shot that sealed Game 2 for Minnesota, a dagger 3-pointer that helped the Timberwolves even their playoff series with Denver at one game apiece. Jaden McDaniels added 14 points, and DiVincenzo finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the win.
The scoring line mattered, but so did the name sitting behind Minnesota’s bench. James White, the Timberwolves player development coach handpicked by Chris Finch to work with DiVincenzo and McDaniels, has become a steady voice for both players this season, one they credit for helping shape the best stretches of their year.
That relationship has spilled beyond the practice floor. On a cool January night in Houston, the three of them went to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen before a game against the Rockets, part of a road ritual that put basketball talk and real life in the same booth. White brought his two children along because his family lives in Houston, and he said with a laugh, “I ended up paying for that meal, But other than that, it was a good meal, and they hung out with me.”
DiVincenzo said the bond goes deeper than schemes or shot charts. “To have somebody like that in your corner that I can call anytime of the day to pick his brain on life stuff, basketball stuff, whatever or just shoot the s— with him,” he said. “That’s the stuff that we need.” He added, “When things are hard, you have certain people you can lean on, and he’s definitely one of them.”
For McDaniels, in his sixth season, the payoff has shown up in a more complete offensive game than he had ever shown before. DiVincenzo, meanwhile, started every game he played for just the second time in his eight-year career, and the stability helped him settle into Minnesota’s rotation. White, who played 67 career NBA games, said his own experience helps him understand the pressure players pile on themselves. “Both from being a player for so many years and just understanding how stressful the game is sometimes, how much pressure you put on yourself,” he said. “it’s important to understand that you still play a kid’s game, and you’re blessed.”
That quiet relationship is now part of Minnesota’s bigger playoff story. Game 1 was a rough opening after Jamal Murray torched the Wolves, but Game 2 looked different from the start, with McDaniels attacking on offense and DiVincenzo delivering the late shot that put Denver away. The series is tied, and the Timberwolves have a coach behind the bench whose influence is showing up exactly when they need it.