JUST IN: Timberwolves Get Good News on Jaylen Clark’s Head Injury + Other Wolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been back in action for a few days, since the NBA All-Star Break last weekend. If you were hoping they’d get healthier over the break, you’ve been disappointed the first two games back, and that will only continue tonight vs the Thunder.

On Sunday night, in the first of back-to-back games vs the Oklahoma City Thunder, they were without Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo. Then, redshirt rookie guard Jaylen Clark went up for a layup can came down in a way that launched the back of his head into the wood floor at Target Center.

Jaylen Clark avoids disaster for Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s a replay that gives you a headache just to watch. Thankfully, though, the Minnesota Timberwolves injury report listed him as questionable, and not with a concussion, but a sore neck instead. A tweet shortly after from Darren “Doogie” Wolfson (KSTP) revealed that concussion tests came back negative.

It took awhile for Clark to get real run with Minnesota this season, but he has now played in 16 games with two starts. He is averaging just 5.1 points per game, but has been a bright spot of late. His 14 points against Oklahoma City helped the Timberwolves stay in contention.

 

MN Timberwolves rotation could get help soon

Although Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and Rudy Gobert all remain out for the immediate future, their return is expected soon. There is some concern surrounding Gobert’s back injury, but for the other two, it’s more about conditioning, at this point in their rehab.

Gobert has missed all three games since the All-Star Break. With his fourth inactive game coming on Monday, he will have been out for all three recent meetings between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Randle, who is in his first season with the Wolves, has been out since January 30th. He is averaging 18.9 points per game, which is the lowest mark of his career dating back to 2017-18 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Not the greatest fit for Minnesota, Randle is a trade candidate if he can get his groin healthy.

The most productive part of Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the Knicks has been Donte DiVincenzo. His toe injury has kept him off the court since January 15th, and it has been that absence where players like Clark and Rob Dillingham have filled in.

Through 40 games DiVincenzo is averaging 11 points per game. He has made eight starts but has yet to find his three-point stroke. After shooting 40.1% for New York last season, he has converted on just 36.9% of his attempts this year.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are entering the stretch run with 24 games remaining. If Chris Finch can get a healthy rotation back, then the Wolves can improve of their current playoff positioning and hope to avoid the Play-In Tournament.