Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch pointed to shot selection, defensive resilience, and in-game adjustments after his team’s 119-114 comeback win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night at Ball Arena.
Finch highlighted Minnesota’s early struggles and how the offense eventually stabilized. “We were settling way too much to start the game,” he said. “Then once he broke the paint and we were able to get the ball moving a little bit, Ant started going and we started getting there a little bit more.”
Julius Randle’s interior pressure was central to the shift in momentum. “We needed somebody to get to the paint, play with some force,” Finch said. “That is what we got to do. We cannot settle, especially when our shots were not going in to start the game.”
Randle finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, helping Minnesota erase a 19-point first-quarter deficit. Anthony Edwards added 30 points despite dealing with a knee issue.
Finch credited Edwards’ response during key stretches of the game. “He was awesome. It was unbelievable,” Finch said. “I thought he was outstanding tonight in his floor game.”
The Timberwolves guard also contributed in non-scoring areas. Finch pointed to Edwards’ leadership even while on the bench. “He was great on the bench, great leadership, positive,” he said.
A major storyline came in how Minnesota managed Denver’s two-man game involving Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Finch said adjustments and readiness were key. “We were able to throw enough bodies at Murray as well to make him miss at the right time too,” he said.
Jokic still posted 24 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists, but Minnesota forced key misses late. Finch emphasized the challenge of defending him directly. “They are in every single action and it is tiring,” he said. “You got to make him miss shots, not stopping it.”
Rudy Gobert played through foul trouble but delivered critical defensive possessions late. “He was phenomenal surviving the foul trouble,” Finch said. “Playing his defense before the catch, after the catch, challenging everything.”
Finch added that Gobert’s presence remained central even when rotations shifted. “We were just trying to weather the storm really,” he said. “Everyone had a chance to fight him but Rudy was there in the end and was huge.”
With multiple frontcourt options forced into Jokic duty, Finch praised the collective effort. “They just fought him,” he said of Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Kyle Anderson. “We just tried to survive it by wrestling with him.”
Donte DiVincenzo also earned strong praise after finishing with a +20 impact. “Donte was awesome,” Finch said. “He is just playing at such a high level. He has got winning DNA.”
Finch also noted Minnesota’s ability to stay composed after early swings in momentum. “We talked a lot about it over the last couple days,” he said. “I thought tonight we did a really good job of surviving that.”
The series is now tied 1-1 and shifts to Minneapolis for Game 3.
