Before the Timberwolves hit Los Angeles earlier this week for a back-to-back games against the Lakers and Clippers, Damjan Rudez had become an almost forgotten man.
The reserve forward — acquired before the season in a trade with Indiana in exchange for Chase Budinger — had not played in five games. He had appeared in just three of the Wolves' past 15 games.
But he was ready.
In 14-plus minutes against the Lakers he made two of his four shots and scored six points. A night later, in a victory over the Clippers, Rudez made all three of his shots — including both three-pointers — and scored eight points in 18½ minutes.
These are not big numbers. But interim coach Sam Mitchell said Rudez was a big key to the victory over the Clippers. "If he doesn't do what he did … we don't win the game," Mitchell said.
"He makes those threes and it creates a little bit more doubt in [Clippers coach] Doc Rivers' mind of, 'How much can we really help on Andrew Wiggins?' "
If you're not a regular part of the Wolves' rotation, you have to be ready when opportunity calls.
"We tell our guys all the time, at some point during the season you're going to get an opportunity," Mitchell said. "It's like a merry-go-round. It's going to come back to you. What you do with those minutes is going to determine how many more minutes you get."
