Donte DiVincenzo is finding his rhythm in Minnesota

The guard is heating up in December, and if history is any indication, that will continue in the New Year.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo celebrates after making a shot against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Target Center in Minneapolis on Dec. 29, 2024. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Donte DiVincenzo has historically been a bit of a slow starter.

Last season with the New York Knicks, DiVincenzo averaged 8.5 points per game in October and November while shooting 39.6% from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range. He started heating up in December, and from January through the end of the regular season, DiVincenzo was averaging 18.8 points per game on 44% shooting from the field and 37.8% shooting from long range.

It was a similar story in 2022-23 with the Golden State Warriors. In October and November, DiVincenzo averaged just five points per game on 35.9% shooting from the field and 34.8% from 3. He started warming up again around the holidays, and from January on, he averaged 10.7 points per game on 45% shooting and 40.4% from 3.

Once again, DiVincenzo is heating up in December, and it comes as he's appeared to find his groove in Minnesota.

DiVincenzo scored a team-high 26 points and had seven rebounds and four assists in Sunday night's 112-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It was his third straight game with a double-digit scoring total — all Timberwolves wins — and his second straight game with 20-plus points. He's averaging 11.5 points per game this month and shooting 44.3% from the field and 40.8% from 3. That's a big jump after he averaged single digits in October and November on significantly worse shooting splits.

Slow starts or adjusting to new environments?

The numbers have been down for DiVincenzo in the early months the last few seasons, but perhaps that's more of a product of the guard being on his fourth team in as many years. Getting prepared for the grueling grind of an NBA season is a tough task in and of itself, but throw in meshing with new faces and learning a new system and it becomes an even tougher ask.

Take this season. DiVincenzo was "at home chilling" with the season nearly underway and expecting to run it back with the Knicks. Then came the blockbuster trade that swapped him and Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns. "Next thing you know, I'm on a flight going to Minnesota," DiVincenzo said. There wasn't nearly a full offseason to adjust to the new team.

Then add in the pressure that comes when a team trades a beloved franchise staple like Towns, who never wanted to leave Minnesota, a year after its best season in decades, coming off an appearance in the Western Conference finals.

"Go back to the trade and you lose a huge piece, and you have two guys coming in that aren't just throw-in guys," DiVincenzo said. "They're key rotation guys that need to figure it out, and when things aren't going well, there's a lot of stones thrown at you guys because of the success the team had last year."

While DiVincenzo is often labeled as a guy you can plug into any system — he's a shooter who can defend, which pretty much works anywhere — Randle isn't, and even DiVincenzo's style of play doesn't account for the time it takes to learn a new system. Or the time it takes to adjust to a new city. Or the time it takes to learn your teammates and their tendencies.

It's doesn't all develop overnight.

"There's a grace period I have to give myself as well, understanding it's a new offense, new city, new everything, so just understanding to take the good with the bad because I know the tides are turning," DiVincenzo said. "Everybody here has the most confidence in me, so just going out and doing it. There's no excuses to be had, just go out and do it."

Building chemistry

It takes time to get comfortable yourself, and it takes time to build that comfortability with your teammates. DiVincenzo has it with Randle after last season in New York. DiVincenzo noted how Randle takes the pressure off him with his ability to handle the ball. He relies on Randle when things aren't going well because the two know each other's game and strengths.

"(DiVincenzo) and Julius have really good chemistry," Wolves coach Chris Finch said. "Julius is often the one who gets him kick-started."

But that comfortability DiVincenzo has with Randle is beginning to develop and extend to the rest of the Wolves roster. Finch said postgame Sunday that DiVincenzo is showing, and providing, everything they knew he had all along. It's been clear over the recent stretch that DiVincenzo is finding something in Minnesota. And if his previous stops in New York and Golden State are any indication, the momentum will continue — and perhaps snowball — when the New Year rolls around.

"We're not through the tunnel, we're trying to figure this out still, but I think where we're at mentally and collectively as a unit is we're way more together right now," DiVincenzo said. "And it's not just because we're winning. We just lost three in a row, and I think that was the most we've been together after losing two, three in a row that I've seen this year, so it's something to hang your hat on and keep pushing because you know the season's full of ups and downs."