Donte DiVincenzo suffers torn Achilles in major playoff blow to Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo left Game 4 of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets with a non-contact leg injury on Saturday. He was quickly ruled out of the game and was later diagnosed with a torn right Achilles tendon, according to ESPN.

The injury occurred after DiVincenzo missed a 3-point shot. He then rushed to chase an offensive rebound and fell to the ground. This explosive surge usually precedes Achilles injuries, and while no two are the same, it’s at least somewhat reminiscent of those suffered by Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard in recent playoffs.

The typical recovery from an Achilles tear is about a year, which would immediately rule DiVincenzo out for the remainder of the playoffs and potentially until next year. Tatum’s 10-month recovery gives DiVincenzo hope of returning next season, but given the history of Achilles tears, players tend to approach recovery with extreme caution.

This is just the latest injury in a series that has been full of them. Aaron Gordon missed the Nuggets’ Game 3 with a calf strain, and Peyton Watson has yet to play for Denver because of a right hamstring strain. Anthony Edwards is suffering from runner’s knee and in Game 4, he left the game in the second quarter after Nuggets forward Cam Johnson fell into his leg. He was excluded for the night.

DiVincenzo has become an absolutely essential player for the Timberwolves. After coming off the bench for the Timberwolves last season, he started all 82 games this season. He averaged more than 12 points per game while shooting nearly eight 3-pointers per night, and his defense helped them absorb the loss of Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

With Edwards also banged up, the Timberwolves will have to rely even more on bench guards Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland. They’ve performed admirably in this series, but things are only going to get more difficult as this series progresses.