Fresh off a night where the Minnesota Timberwolves locked up a top-six seed in the NBA Playoffs, head coach Chris Finch and his squad will soon face a consequential playoff run.
If the Wolves fail to reach the NBA Finals in 2026, eyes will undoubtedly turn to the sixth-year coach.
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Basketball is a huge deal in Minnesota. Since superstar Anthony Edwards arrived, greatness remains the expectation. While Finch himself has been the one to recently reset the standard in Minnesota, this same standard could also serve as the reason for his potential ouster.
The Genesis of a New Era for Timberwolves
Chris Finch joined the Timberwolves coaching staff during the 2020-2021 season.
Then, he finished the forgettable season’s final 41 games at the helm. That said, the move was widely celebrated. Minnesota had finally found a capstone candidate to take over and build rapport with their budding superstar.
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Finch previously served as an assistant coach or associate head coach throughout his last 10 seasons in the NBA before landing in Minnesota. In his first two full seasons as the main signal caller, he oversaw seasons with win totals of 46 and 42 wins, respectively.
Prior to Finch taking over, the T-Wolves hadn’t reached that win total in years.
Chris Finch’s Undeniable Success
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ improvement under Finch is quite notable compared to where the franchise was. So much so, Finch was awarded his second contract extension by the Timberwolves in June 2024.
His style of leadership had gone missing in Minnesota since the days of the late Flip Saunders. It’s also translating to clear success for the team. Finch currently ranks second in all-time wins by a Wolves head coach, only trailing the aforementioned Saunders, who sits alone at the top with 427 wins.
Finch’s accolades don’t just stop there.
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The success Minnesota reached in the 2023-24 season earned Finch and his staff a spot on the sidelines of the Western Conference All-Star team in Indianapolis. He also boasts the highest winning percentage in franchise history and has led the team to back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances. In addition, he owns the franchise record for most wins in playoff history.
Over his five full seasons as head coach, the Timberwolves have never missed the playoffs. This is the second-longest streak in franchise history since the string of eight straight appearances the team experienced during the Kevin Garnett era (1996-2004).
Fast Starts and Blowouts
To Finch’s credit, it cannot be said that his team is inadequately prepared when a new season starts.
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This year, the Wolves won 10 of their first 15 games. It’s only the third time in the franchise’s last 20 seasons that they started this way. It was also the second time with Finch as head coach.
In addition, there have only been 12 instances in Wolves history of securing a road win by 30+ points. Finch has overseen eight of them.
Rotational Issues and Distrust
Now, despite all the positives laid out thus far, there are some concerns to address.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have not enjoyed favorable injury luck this season or last. Questions over the rotation are leaving many fans and pundits alike scratching their heads. Wolves’ general manager Matt Lloyd does an incredible job ensuring that Finch has all the tools necessary to reach the NBA Finals. With arguably the deepest roster in franchise history this season, other NBA clubs are noticing the work and results Minnesota’s front office is putting in.
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The additions of Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu, plus the recent reintegration of Jaylen Clark into the lineup, are vital going forward this year. With the injury bug staying around the team, there are boundless opportunities for Finch to get the younger guys some run.
Overall, there’ve been frustrations with Finch’s ability (or lack thereof) to insert players like Joan Beringer and Rocco Zikarsky into Rudy Gobert-like roles. Fans are noticing a massive imbalance in minutes being distributed to players outside their typical eight-man rotation.
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor and Wolves beat-writer Dane Moore discussed this issue back in February. The roster looked slightly different then, as Minnesota only lost ancillary pieces and gained a high-impact player in Dosunmu.
Moore doesn’t buy that it’s all tactical issues for the Wolves, and that it merits firing Finch. While some fans would agree, there is also a large faction of fans that don’t.
The Clock is Ticking
As stated earlier, the current Timberwolves roster is arguably the deepest in franchise history. Also mentioned was the notice other NBA teams have taken to Minnesota’s front office inner-workings. Does this point to the inevitability that Finch is running out of time? NBA circles mention the Bulls, after recently dismissing two of their top executives, might be eyeing Lloyd to turn the Bulls around.
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If Lloyd leaves for Chicago and the Wolves suffer a disappointing playoff exit, will either or both of these scenarios lead to a shakeup for Minnesota? Or does a new ownership group give Chris Finch a longer leash?
These are valid questions that will be answered soon.
One thing is for certain — the return of Kevin Garnett as team ambassador on April 12th is imminent. This underscores the importance of re-engaging the fanbase and evoking nostalgia. For a small-market team like Minnesota, this will all but max out the vibes around the organization. Attention spans these days are different from what they used to be, as is fans’ willingness to exercise patience.
Only time will tell what happens next. Right now, Wolves fans are praying for health, above all. Looking forward, what comes next in the playoffs, and potentially in the offseason, remains an intriguing story to monitor for the T-Wolves.
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The post Do the Timberwolves Need to Fire Chris Finch if They Miss The Finals? appeared first on The Lead.
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