The Minnesota Timberwolves are one win from advancing, but the mood around the team shifted quickly after Donte DiVincenzo’s season-ending injury. On Monday, head coach Chris Finch pointed to a moment of perspective that cut through the playoff intensity — a message from Jayson Tatum.
“I think Jayson Tatum’s comments were super classy, kind and compassionate. Mean a lot,” Finch said before Game 5. “I know Donte’s heard them, and he’s been such a great example of what’s possible.”
It was a brief answer, but one that landed. In a league where injuries can alter careers overnight, Tatum’s words — and Finch’s reaction — carried weight beyond Minnesota’s series with Denver.
Jayson Tatum’s Message Resonates After Donte DiVincenzo Injury
Tatum didn’t need to imagine what DiVincenzo is going through. He lived it.
The Boston Celtics star tore his Achilles during the 2025 playoffs and spent months working his way back. Now fully returned, he spoke candidly after seeing DiVincenzo go down early in Game 4.
“It was tough seeing that,” Tatum said. “I never want anybody to go through that injury and what’s to come with the rehab process.”
He added that he intends to reach out directly, though he acknowledged the timing.
“Just happened yesterday, so it’s a lot going on for him,” Tatum said. “But I know for a fact I’m going to reach out at some point.”
That kind of outreach matters in ways that don’t show up in a box score.
Timberwolves Confirm DiVincenzo Achilles Tear, Surgery
DiVincenzo’s injury came just 1:19 into Saturday’s Game 4 win over the Nuggets, when he went down with what initially looked like a routine play. It wasn’t.
The Timberwolves later confirmed that an MRI revealed a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He underwent surgery in New York performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley — the same surgeon who handled Tatum’s procedure last year.
DiVincenzo is out indefinitely, and his postseason is over.
The eighth-year guard had been a steady presence off the bench, averaging 10.8 points in the playoffs while spacing the floor and defending multiple positions.
Chris Finch Sees Tatum as Proof of What’s Ahead
Finch didn’t go into detail, but his point was clear: there is a path back.
“He’s been such a great example of what’s possible,” Finch said of Tatum.
That example has become more relevant as Achilles recoveries evolve. What was once viewed as a career-altering injury now comes with at least a blueprint — even if the timeline remains long and uncertain.
For DiVincenzo, the focus shifts immediately to rehab. For his teammates, the challenge is different.
Chris Finch Adjusts Rotation as Playoff Pressure Builds
Minnesota still leads the series 3-1 and can close out Denver in Game 5. But the rotation is thinner now.
DiVincenzo’s absence removes a reliable perimeter option at a time when every possession carries weight. And he isn’t the only concern. Star guard Anthony Edwards is also expected to miss time with a knee injury suffered in the same game.
In Game 5, Finch started veteran Mike Conley and Game 4 hero Ayo Dosunmu in place of Edwards and DiVincenzo.
The Timberwolves have absorbed those hits so far. Whether they can continue to do so will define what comes next.
Bigger Than Basketball Moment in Timberwolves Locker Room
Finch’s reaction to Tatum’s comments wasn’t about strategy or rotations. It was about something simpler.
Respect. Empathy. Perspective.
In the middle of a playoff push, with stakes rising by the day, the Timberwolves were reminded that the game has a longer arc.
For DiVincenzo, that arc just changed.
For Minnesota, the mission remains the same — move forward, one win away — while one of their own begins the hardest stretch of his career.
Timberwolves’ Chris Finch Has Strong Reaction to Jayson Tatum’s Message After Donte DiVincenzo