Timberwolves veteran Brandon Rush left the team's locker room after most of his teammates did following Monday's morning shootaround.
He was delayed by ice treatments on his knees and toes not because of the 24 minutes he rather unexpectedly played Saturday against Memphis, but because of the extended minutes he played Monday against Miami now that shooting guard Zach LaVine is out for the season.
"Just making sure my body's fresh," Rush said.
It's next man up now, and Rush is that next man. He replaces LaVine as starter in a reconfigured rotation where coach Tom Thibodeau likely will play two point guards together and need Shabazz Muhammad to pick up LaVine's missing scoring with the team's second unit.
Thibodeau also could use an open roster spot to add guard help after LaVine tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Friday at Detroit.
In an instant, Rush went from unneeded to relied upon. He calls the adjustment more challenging for his mind than body.
"I worked every single day I didn't play: Extra work, cardio, got my shots up," he said. "It's more mental just to get my mind ready for games. But you get used to it. Unless we make some changes or whatnot, I'm looking forward to playing this out."
LaVine attended Monday's morning shoot on crutches and already has started what Thibodeau calls his "prehab" to prepare for surgery.