Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch highlighted Mike Conley’s impact in the second half after Minnesota edged Milwaukee 103-100 on Sunday night. “He always gives us great defense. Get to the heart of the paint, make the right play… some of the best rhythm we had was when he was in,” Finch said.
Finch highlighted Naz Reid’s early insertion for Julius Randle as a key adjustment. “I just wanted to change it up… go with Naz out there. Sometimes you got to do that,” he explained.
Terrence Shannon Jr.’s three-point shooting in the fourth quarter also drew praise. “He’s been shooting the ball pretty well from the three-point line… shot it with confidence and they came within the flow of the offense,” Finch said, noting how Shannon’s timely shots energized the team.
The coach addressed Minnesota’s slow starts, saying, “It’s shot making… we are creating a lot of good looks and just not going in. Maybe we are a little jump-shot reliant to start games. I think we can get more to the rim.”
Rudy Gobert’s rebounding milestone and performance drew particular attention. “He’s doing a much better job of shedding guys… getting the ball in the air, rebounding with two hands,” Finch said. “A lot of rebounds are out on the perimeter now, so it’s harder to rebound as a big, and Rudy’s doing all three—contest, coverage, and rebound.”
Regarding Conley’s smaller role this season, Finch noted, “He’s a pretty seamless part of the bigger picture… we’re getting up to the point where we might even shrink the rotation a little bit. He’ll be fine. He hit a couple big ones tonight.”
Finch also praised the team’s ability to convert turnovers into points. “We’re probably best in transition when we can get a turnover. It kind of ignites us… we put a big emphasis on turnover saves. Ideally, if you can get a turnover after a turnover, it’s a double win.”
The Timberwolves overcame a 16-point deficit and poor first-half shooting to outscore Milwaukee 27-15 in the third quarter. Edwards’ late driving layup with 21 seconds remaining sealed the win, while DiVincenzo and Shannon provided crucial perimeter scoring.
Rudy Gobert recorded 18 rebounds, marking his 10,000th career rebound, and Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 24 points despite shooting 7-for-24. Kevin Porter Jr. nearly posted a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, but the Bucks fell short in the fourth.
Minnesota improves to 19-10 and hosts the New York Knicks on Tuesday, while Milwaukee drops to 11-18 and visits Indiana.
