Takeaways: Anthony Edwards scores 41 points as Timberwolves edge Trail Blazers 118-114 in opener

PORTLAND – The Timberwolves’ first game of the season brought with it the first surprise.

Coach Chris Finch opted to start Donte DiVincenzo in place of veteran Mike Conley as the Wolves opened their season with a 118-114 victory over Portland.

Anthony Edwards had 41 as the Wolves overcame 19 turnovers. Jerami Grant had 29 for the Trail Blazers.

The Wolves’ best defender, Rudy Gobert, picked up two fouls less than five minutes into the game, and when Jaden McDaniels went out to rest, the Wolves defense struggled in the first quarter. Portland hit 11-for-18 in the opening quarter.

The Wolves, despite having issues with some Portland full-court pressure, also hit 11 field goals (on 23 attempts) to stay within 35-33 after one. Edwards had 11.

The Wolves opened the second quarter with three consecutive turnovers after committing just two in the first. Their defense was improved when Gobert was on the floor; they held Portland to 26 in the second and trailed 61-57 at the half. DiVincenzo had five of the Wolves’ nine turnovers in the first half. He finished the game with six.

The Wolves again stayed close in the third without taking the lead as Edwards upped his points total to 31. Grant was 9-for-11 for Portland with 24 entering the fourth.

Finch had referenced Conley being a little banged up during training camp, but that didn’t seem to factor into the decision to play him in reserve.

Last season, DiVincenzo started 10 games over Conley before suffering a turf toe injury that sidelined him several weeks. Finch said one of the primary reasons he made the change was to better manage Conley’s shifts throughout the course of a game.

“There’s a lot of things that went into it. I thought [DiVincenzo] had a really good preseason,” Finch said. “It’s a lot easier to manage Mike’s impact and minutes in the game over a 36-minute span than it is over a 48-minute span.”

After saying in the preseason his rotation may go as deep as 10, Finch did go 10 opening night, but not the 10 people may have thought.

The odd man out was Rob Dillingham.

To start the fourth quarter, Finch went with Bones Hyland as player No. 10 for some ball handling against Portland’s pressure.

The Wolves had issues closing quarters, especially early last season, and they had a few meltdowns again at the end of periods. Shannon skated by Jrue Holiday, who sank a three as time expired in the first. In the third, after the Wolves got a stop, Reid made an ill-advised pass, and that led to a three from Donovan Clingan.

Edwards made sure the Wolves won it. He said he had worked on his midrange game all summer and when the team needed it most, he buried a jumper from the left wing over former college teammate Toumani Camara to seal the win.