The Timberwolves‘ disappointing season reached a new low Saturday night, and coach Chris Finch indicated some lineup changes may be coming in the new year, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Minnesota dropped its sixth straight game, letting a large lead slip away in the third quarter of a loss to the Pistons, who have the NBA’s worst record.
“Old demons,” Finch said in trying to explain the collapse. “Got outcompeted in the third. Just lifeless and not sure exactly where it comes from.”
Finch also cited a need for “people who want to go out there and try to rebound.” Detroit pounded the Wolves 52-37 on the boards and held a 9-0 lead in second-chance points. Finch also indicated that the team’s struggles may be mental as well as physical.
“Tonight was the first time I saw them frustrated with each other through a lot of different ins and outs of the lineup, tough losses on the road,” Finch said. “But tonight I think it manifested itself in a different way. A lot of frustration with guys not making the right and simple play.”
There’s more on the Wolves:
- Saturday’s loss prompted a players-only meeting, tweets Dane Moore of Blue Wire Pods. The locker room didn’t open to the media until 45 minutes after the game as the players tried to sort through the many issues surrounding the team. “I feel like every team does at some point,” Naz Reid said of the meeting (Twitter link). “So moving forward, I feel like we could be heading in the right direction. I feel like we had the right conversation.”
- Finch’s job appears to be safe despite the losing streak, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. He points out that new president of basketball operations Tim Connelly emphasized continuity while building the Nuggets into a contender and doesn’t seem inclined to rush into a coaching change. Connelly recently told Krawczynski that Finch, who received a multi-year contract extension in April, is “one of the best coaches I’ve been around.”
- D’Angelo Russell‘s poor transition defense and questionable shot selection contributed to the second half collapse, Krawczynski adds. Russell was just 1-for-6 in the fourth quarter and he launched an ill-advised pull-up three-pointer with 2:15 left that cut short a comeback attempt. Russell will be a free agent this summer, but any trade market for him has been limited because of his $31.4MM salary.
Finch isn’t the right coach .. Gobert is a non factor .. KAT has hit max potential with this team & has nothing to show for it .. DLO is inconsistent.. Jaden Mcdaniels isn’t bad, but also hasn’t improved much .. Anthony Edwards is out here on his own
Also coach needs to play nowell and Reid more .. the only bench players that show any type of spark…
It’s tough being a minnesota fan .. in all sports lol
Prediction: in the 3pt crazy NBA, this years champ will be the team that has the strongest defensive profile. You could substitute most of Finch’s comments for ones made by Billy Donovan this year and it would make no difference.
In a ‘player’s league’, very few players have the discipline to be 2 way players which is required for winning. That explains the mediocrity in the standings.
No coach can convince players that get big paydays based upon offensive stats (I am looking at you Zach Lavine) to do the things good team mates do to win.
Finch was given an impossible task…Butler begged out years ago because the team ‘leader’ does not want to play defense, and getting Gobert cannot compensate for that flaw.
Trade Towns and Russell for equal value in one package
Huge trade
Build around Edward and Gobert
Mavs can offer Wolves package
Wood
Dinwiddie
Hardaway
Josh Green
I would love that trade
Wood is a rental and not a 4, so why on earth would the Wolves do this? And Dinwiddie is not the type of PG you want to replace Dlo with.
On a side note, is Kat even much better than the current version of Wood who is at least active defensively? I don’t think so. What area of the game does Kat significantly outshine him in? He’s arguably the most overrated player in the game that has not proven to move the needle on winning.
DLo is playing his way out of the league. No team wants him.
He’s a benign cancer… he won’t kill you but you’re much better off without him.
How quick did GSW unload him?
You are correct. D’Lo is a 1 talent player. He can shoot the ball but is so bad on defense he is a big liability out there. When GSW signed him a laker fan told me GSW will regret it since he plays no D. They were correct.
No
Its Anthony’s Edward’s team and no one wants to be on it with him is the problem. Part of that problem is his selfish ways about it all.
He wants everybody cleared out and have a team built around him. He ain’t trying to hear on anything else but that.
Right, because Towns and Dlo are the epitome of unselfishness as vets several years older than him.
Trash take. Ant is 3rd in the league in minutes. He’s a rapidly improving 21yo.
Finch is no part of the problem, and can be part of a solution if one is out there.
Connelly should of appreciated the concept of continuity before the Gobert trade, and also understood that it’s fruits are better realized when it’s coupled with flexibility. When a FO preaches the first, when it’s eliminated the second, it’s called being stuck with the current roster.
Do the Timberpuppies have an Assistant Coach who is a defensive specialist? If not, get one.
Then have that coach work exclusively with KAT & Dlo to improve that aspect of their game. Put both on the BENCH until they are able to play D.
Buddy ball…
Those 2 won’t listen to the coach, they’ll listen to each other…
No amount of accountability will reach those 2 as long as they are together…