Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch highlighted Anthony Edwards’ impact in Minnesota’s 115-104 victory over the New York Knicks. “He just picked up his energy, his force, his thrust. He played in clean lines… got a couple of the little mid-range shots to go down and then was aggressive getting all the way to the hole,” Finch said.
Finch also praised Edwards’ defense, noting, “His defense was excellent. KAT had a great game, but he fought him enough when we needed a bucket.” The coach underscored Rudy Gobert’s consistent defensive presence, calling it “every bit as good as it was two seasons ago and every other time he’s won the award.”
Discussing the team’s rebounding, Finch pointed to Gobert and Naz Reid’s contributions. “A lot of those offensive rebounds that came in the second half were because we were gambling on the perimeter… Rudy had to step up,” Finch explained, emphasizing the importance of defensive positioning.
Finch highlighted Edwards’ on-ball pressure against Josh Hart. “We felt that was a key matchup… Ant did a really good job on him and making life hard,” he said, noting how it disrupted New York’s offensive flow despite Hart putting up a solid stat line.
Regarding ball movement, Finch praised the Timberwolves’ teamwork. “25 assists on 42 baskets… we’re better that way. Ant and Julius did a really good job of initiating good offense,” he said, adding that creating open shots through motion has helped the team generate easy scoring opportunities.
Finch reflected on Julius Randle’s fourth-quarter performance. “Julius started three for 11 through three quarters. He hits one shot in the fourth, starts flexing the crowd… being able to shake off a poor start and play inspired basketball is great,” he said.
The coach also noted the team’s growing resilience. “We’ve got to be able to survive our own mistakes, survive the mistakes of our teammates… we are showing great growth, a much better connectivity,” Finch said, emphasizing the Timberwolves’ improved chemistry.
He commended Bones Hyland’s efficiency off the bench. “Bones’ minutes were plus-24. He’s an outstanding passer, pace picks up with him on the floor… getting him off the ball and good point guard play allows us to go to another dimension,” Finch said.
Minnesota improved to 20-10 with Edwards scoring 38 points and Gobert recording 16 rebounds. The Timberwolves held off a late surge from former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, who finished with a season-high 40 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who dropped to 20-9.
