The Minnesota Timberwolves came out ahead in a hard-fought 94-88 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. 

It was a grueling battle on both sides where defense reigned supreme, as evidenced by the low scoring matchup by two teams that typically boast electric, high-volume offenses. 

In a game like Thursday's, grit reigns supreme. Neither team let the other one slide by easily and when you have to battle for every possession and made basket, it pays to have a player on your side that welcomes the battle and can rise to the occasion.

That's who the Timberwolves had in Donte DiVincenzo on Thursday and the effort he brought to the court is a major factor in why the Timberwolves were able to to scrape by with a win.

“Yeah, it was awesome. A leading player today, on both sides of the ball. He made big shots, he rebounded, he got ready, he got steals, he did everything. He’s got that grittiness to him, and games like this suit him well," Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said to the media. 

DiVincenzo finished the game with 18 points, second on the team behind Anthony Edwards' 31 points, while shooting 6-13 from the field and adding three rebounds, four assists and two steals while turning the ball over just once. 

DiVincenzo brings a tremendous amount of value to the Timberwolves on both ends of the court. He's shown in the past and he did again on Thursday that he's capable of producing some outstanding offensive performances, he can play a crucial support and playmaking role and he brings deeply effective defense to the back court. 

His diverse skill set is an ideal complement to Edwards' high-scoring and high-flying play style. The offense that Edwards brings is undeniable and with DiVincenzo on the court bringing defense and playmaking that can free up Edwards to be the unencumbered offensive threat he's show over again that he is.

This complementary skill set is what helps the Timberwolves be such a difficult offense to stand against. DiVincenzo not only has the capability to be a scoring problem in his own right, but he can help make the players around him even better and perform to their highest capabilities.

He's also someone who doesn't back down from physicality or feel worn down by an oppressive defense, which is what he showed the most on Thursday. Both teams had to claw for every point they could in every minute in the game, and as the Clippers put heavy pressure on the Timberwolves, DiVincezo was always ready to answer the call. 

That's someone the Timberwolves need to be successful down the stretch, and it's who they turned toward to survive the Clippers on Thursday.