Timberwolves: Rob Dillingham Battles Through Rough Start For Best Game Yet

Dillingham recorded a career-high 14 points in a tight matchup with the Boston Celtics.

Nov 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) defend against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

With Mike Conley sidelined for a toe injury, eight overall pick Rob Dillingham has earned his first real rotation minutes as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ point guard. He played nearly ten minutes in Minnesota’s close loss to the Toronto Raptors, before receiving even more playing time in the Timberwolves most recent game against he defending champion Boston Celtics.

Against the Celtics, Dillingham had a tough going in his first-half stint. He managed to score four points, but was a defensive liability. The Celtics went at him on every possession, making a point to punish him for his lack of size. They involved him in screening actions, or simply just went at his chest. He was a mismatch for every single player on Boston’s offense, including Payton Pritchard.

Further, he couldn’t get enough going on offense to offset his defensive struggles. On many occasions, he simply looked lost out there.

In the second half, these defensive struggles persisted for the 6-foot-1 19-year-old, but he managed to find his stride offensively. Particularly, in the fourth quarter, Dillingham scored some crucial buckets to cut the Timberwolves’ deficit. The former Kentucky Wildcat scored eight points in four fourth-quarter minutes, including drilling a pull-up three in transition, and converting another three off of an offensive rebound. He also tallied two flashy points by way of a stellar layup after leaving Al Horford in the dust. Despite the loss, Dillingham finished his breakout performance with a career-high 14 points.

Dillingham still has lots of work cut out ahead of him to become a rotation-caliber point guard. However, that’s to be expected from a player of his age and size. In particular, he’ll have to figure out ways to be less of a target on the defensive end of the ball. Still, with his sharp offensive skill, the eighth overall pick has displayed his potential as a potent offensive creator, and a long-term backcourt partner next to Anthony Edwards.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.