Chris Finch explains closing with Conley over Dillingham against Grizzlies

With four and a half minutes remaining in Monday's game against the Grizzlies, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch took rookie Rob Dillingham off the floor and put starting point guard Mike Conley back in. The Wolves led 100-95 at the time.

A little over two minutes of game time later, Memphis had gone on an 11-0 run to take a six-point lead. The Wolves cut it to a one-possession deficit, but Anthony Edwards' heavily-contested three-pointer at the buzzer wasn't close and Minnesota fell 108-106 in another frustrating crunch-time loss.

To blame the 11-0 run on Conley would be unfair. That stretch included two missed threes by Edwards and three Wolves turnovers by Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert. But it was nonetheless notable because of how well Dillingham played on Monday and how largely ineffective Conley has been in clutch time throughout this season.

Dillingham was outstanding in this game. The 20-year-old rookie scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, making three of his four attempts from deep. He also had three rebounds, two assists, and no turnovers in his 17 minutes off the bench. He was a team-high +16. It felt like Dillingham was constantly threatening the Grizzlies' defense with his pace off the dribble and his ability to create his own shot or find the open man.

TOUGH BUCKET. pic.twitter.com/AEGDN8UocT
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 20, 2025

But when it mattered most, Finch called on his established veteran point guard instead of the rookie.

"I was just going with the experience," Finch said, via Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. "Put (Conley) in for the defensive stop and just left him in to just manage the game."

Asked what Dillingham would have to do to earn his confidence in that situation, Finch said "he has my confidence."

Conley missed a corner three during the Grizzlies' late run and is now 0 for 11 from the floor in close to 40 minutes of clutch time this season, including eight misses from deep. The 18th-year veteran has played in over 1,200 NBA games, so he has all kinds of experience. But it hasn't translated to late-game success this year.

Overall, Conley came into this game averaging a career-low 7.9 points on 36 percent shooting. He was 1 for 6 from the floor for 5 points in Memphis, though he did have eight assists.

Dillingham was playing in just his 18th NBA game on Monday, but his confidence and comfort level seem to be growing by the day. In three games since returning from an ankle sprain on Friday night in New York, he's scored 36 points on 62.5 percent shooting (15 of 24). The No. 8 overall pick out of Kentucky is showing that he belongs in Minnesota's rotation for good.

With Donte DiVincenzo now out indefinitely due to a Grade 3 toe sprain, the Wolves are going to need Dillingham to play a big role for the foreseeable future. If he keeps producing like this, the shifty rookie might force his way into the team's closing lineup before long.

Rob Dillingham last 130 minutes:

75 points
24 assists
53 2P%
46 3P%
+19 +/- pic.twitter.com/sDdzxc0fWL
— Automatic (@automaticnba) January 20, 2025

Related: Timberwolves preaching patience with rookie guard Rob Dillingham