Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch pointed to turnovers, poor shot selection and a lack of physicality after his team lost 119-114 to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Target Center.
The Timberwolves trailed by as many as 24 points before mounting a fourth-quarter comeback, but Stephen Curry’s 44 points and 16-for-16 performance at the free-throw line helped Golden State secure the win. Speaking after the game, Finch addressed Minnesota’s offensive problems, the absence of Anthony Edwards and the players who helped spark the comeback.
“The first half was like one pass, one action, one shot,” Finch said, explaining Minnesota’s early turnover problems. “When we tried to force ourselves into places that there was nothing there,” the Timberwolves struggled to create clean passing angles against Golden State’s physical defense.
Finch said Minnesota improved by playing with more force and working harder to create scoring opportunities. However, he also highlighted the cost of sending Curry to the line 16 times.
“We fouled way too much,” Finch said.
Finch credited the Timberwolves’ improved ball movement and defensive stops for their second-half runs. The second unit helped Minnesota find better scoring opportunities by moving without the ball and combining quick passes.
“They were able to create some distortion with their body movement, find some people, hang together some fast pass combinations that unlock some good shots,” Finch said.
Minnesota played without Edwards, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss extended time. Edwards averaged 33.3 points through the team’s first four games, and Finch said the remaining players needed to respond without changing their approach.
“We got to figure it out from within and we got plenty of things to do,” Finch said. “We got to guys, you know, raise their level a little bit right now.”
The coach also criticized Minnesota’s early shot selection, particularly the deep 3-pointers players attempted on their first touches. He said the team did not need to force its offense while trying to compensate for Edwards’ absence.
“The scoring void is one of the easier ones to fill,” Finch said. “As long as you’re doing the right things and sticking in the flow and people will benefit from it.”
Finch singled out Trey Lyles for his versatility in the fourth quarter, when Minnesota used a smaller lineup to switch defensively. He praised Lyles’ help defense, floor spacing and ability to facilitate the next action, calling him key to the team’s effort.
The coach also credited Joan Beringer, Jaylen Clark and Bones Hyland for providing energy. Their hustle plays and second-chance opportunities helped Minnesota get back into the game.
Despite the comeback, Minnesota fell to 3-2 after opening the season 3-0. The Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, Oct. 30.
