After their notable second-round victory over the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, many anticipated the Minnesota Timberwolves to show a strong performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. However, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves fell short, losing 108-105 at home last Wednesday.
Their subpar performance did not go unnoticed, as Coach Chris Finch addressed the issue during a recent team activity.
Head Coach Chris Finch Frustrated by His Team’s Game 1 Effort
Before Game 2 at home, Coach Finch mentioned that he and the Timberwolves reviewed the Game 1 footage, and he didn’t hold back in sharing his thoughts.
Via Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune:
It was a rough film session, Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “I told the guys, ‘It has been a long time since I’ve been this disappointed in your effort. Your performance, your attitude and attention to detail just wasn’t there.’ The Western Conference finals started. Not sure if they got the memo. But they got it this afternoon.”
In Game 1, the Timberwolves frequently opted for long-range shots, making 18 of their 49 three-point attempts. However, they might have had better results if they focused more on attacking the basket and scoring in the paint. Defensively, the Mavericks took advantage of Minnesota’s weak interior defense, scoring 62 points in the paint compared to the Timberwolves’ 38.
It’s clear that Finch wants his team to focus more on driving to the basket in Game 2. The big question is whether the Timberwolves can implement this strategy on Sunday to tie the series at 1-1 before heading to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.
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