Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch credited a shift in effort and discipline as the catalyst for his team’s pivotal Game 4 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.
Speaking postgame, Finch admitted the Timberwolves were fortunate to trail by only two at halftime after what he described as a lackluster defensive first half.
“I thought we were shortcutting our game plan,” Finch said. “We were just kind of too loose.”
Anthony Edwards’ 30-foot buzzer-beater to end the second quarter pulled Minnesota within 60-58 and helped stabilize what had been an uneven performance.
Finch acknowledged the importance of that shot, saying, “It felt like one of those games where we were going to struggle to find a rhythm.”
Edwards went on to score 30 points, including a dominant third quarter that sparked a 17-0 run, swinging the momentum in Minnesota’s favor.
“He was one of the guys most vocal at halftime and realized what was going on,” Finch said. “It started with him.”
The Timberwolves outscored the Warriors 39-17 in the third frame, transforming a narrow deficit into a 20-point lead heading into the fourth.
Finch emphasized the team’s improved execution after halftime, pointing to better ball movement and sharper decision-making against Golden State’s zone defense.
“Everything was so much holding and surveying in the first half,” Finch said. “We just got better ball movement and made them chase it.”
The connection between Edwards and Julius Randle, who scored 31 points, also stood out to Finch as a critical element of the team’s offensive rhythm.
“Julius has found Ant a lot early in some DHOs and seeking him out in transition,” Finch said. “Ant’s done a really good job of trying to find Julius in the post.”
Jaden McDaniels, who had one rebound in the first half, pulled down 12 in the second—another example of the Wolves’ commitment to finishing plays.
Finch attributed the improvement not to tactical changes, but to effort.
“We were just kind of doing 85% of the job out there,” he said. “It was literally just—we had to lock in and had to finish plays off.”
The Timberwolves now lead the series 3-1 and will look to close it out in Game 5 on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
