Chris Finch explains his coaching decisions in Timberwolves’ Game 2 loss to Dallas
Minnesota dropped Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals to Dallas by the narrowest of margins — one point — in a contest where Luka Doncic hit a 3-pointer with three seconds to play and Naz Reid’s potential game-winner rimmed out at the horn.
Naturally, after such a tight bout, every minute detail and decision will be analyzed and debated.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch isn’t immune to such discourse. Many of his decisions were questioned on social media during and after the game. Here’s what Finch had to say about his most pertinent calls:
On not calling a timeout when the Wolves gained possession of the ball up two with 32 seconds remaining to sub Mike Conley back into the game and call a play (the possession ended in Anthony Edwards throwing the ball out of bounds): “That’s on me in the sense that I should have called a timeout to get Mike back in the game on that second to last possession for us, or whatever. So I’ll take that one, it’s on me. But yeah, ball got static and turned it over. Same story as the other night, turnovers in the guts of the game, not gonna get it done.”
Finch was again asked about the decision to not take a timeout.
“I just said I shoulda called it,” Finch said. “But we thought the ball was in Ant’s hands, the differential on the clock wasn’t huge. But initially wanted to call it, but I didn’t.”
On the defensive plan on Dallas’ last offensive possession (the Wolves elected not to double team Doncic, instead switching a pick and roll that left Rudy Gobert on an island to guard Doncic): “The idea was switch up (and) press him inside the 3-point line.”
On leaving Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for the final eight minutes of the contest in favor of Naz Reid (Towns went 4 for 16 from the field while Reid hit seven triples): “Naz was playing well, real well and gave us some switchable combinations out there and stuff like that.”
Finch said he didn’t converse with Towns about the decision during the game.
“No, I didn’t really have time to have that conversation,” he said.
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