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Mike Conley starting for Wolves, Knicks rule out KAT

Conley will start in place of the injured Donte DiVincenzo Friday night in New York.
Nolan O'Hara|
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley drives to the basket as Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George defends in the third quarter at Capital One Arena in Washington on Jan. 13, 2025.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley drives to the basket as Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George defends in the third quarter at Capital One Arena in Washington on Jan. 13, 2025. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Timberwolves

Mike Conley will be back in the starting lineup for the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night against the New York Knicks in place of Donte DiVincenzo, who is out with a left toe sprain, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters pregame.

Finch did not give reporters an update on how long DiVincenzo might be out. If Minnesota is without DiVincenzo, who has recently taken over Conley's spot in the starting lineup, for an extended period that would be a big blow as DiVincenzo has been playing his best basketball in January since joining the Wolves. DiVincenzo is averaging 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in the New Year, his best averages in those categories over any month this season.

DiVincenzo is coming off a 28-point effort in Wednesday's loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Conley has started 30 games this season and was just recently replaced by DiVincenzo in the starting five. That made it essentially a no-brainer Conley, who is averaging 7.7 points, 4.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game, would get the start.

Leonard Miller (illness) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (foot) have also been ruled out for the Wolves.

Former Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) was a gametime decision Friday night, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters pregame, but was ruled out leading up to tipoff. Towns is averaging 25.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 55% from the field and 45% from 3-point in his first season with the Knicks.

The only other player ruled out for the Knicks is Mitchell Robinson (ankle), who hasn't played this season after undergoing surgery and isn't expected back until late January.

The Wolves and Knicks tip off at 6:30 p.m. Friday night in New York.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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