Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch addressed his team’s performance following Friday night’s 115-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Finch focused on offensive execution and the team’s difficulty sustaining leads.
“You know, we struggled to make shots, but then we got up 10. We didn’t want to put the work in on offense at that point in time,” Finch said. “We looked for quick things when they were making their run. We turned it over a bunch in traffic right there. Started trying to play for the foul instead. They got loose in transition and we were never able to sustain anything once we got up 10.”
Finch highlighted the type of offense he wanted to see. “I wanted to see movement. I wanted to see going somewhere with force. I wanted to see next action basketball. I wanted to see pass-pass combinations. I wanted to see good screens. It just kind of all bogged down to super slow, and they were able to blow up everything,” he explained.
The coach also addressed player performance and health concerns. “Obviously, it didn’t look like he had a lot of juice tonight, but all credits for him playing through what he’s been through over the last number of days,” Finch said regarding a Anthony Edwards’ effort. On Andre Drummond’s impact, he added, “I wouldn’t say Drummond was the difference in the game, but they had like a dozen blocks at the rim. They were definitely big down there.”
Finch acknowledged free-throw struggles as a season-long issue. “It’s a mindset thing. You just got to go up there and make them. You’re not going to make them all, but we come away empty way too much. Often times, when you step to that line, you got something else in your mind. You got to clear it and make them both,” he said.
Regarding Rudy Gobert’s offensive performance, Finch pointed to the lack of clean opportunities. “Just not enough clean plays, whether it be the catch or the gather and the finish. It looked like a lot of entangled plays, but he was really good on the glass,” Finch noted.
Minnesota was led in scoring by Julius Randle and Bones Hyland, who each had 21 points, while Anthony Edwards struggled with eight points after missing all seven of his 3-point attempts. Philadelphia’s victory was fueled by Paul George’s 23 points, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. adding 21 each, and Joel Embiid’s 19 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in his return to the lineup.
The Timberwolves remain sixth in the Western Conference and will host Charlotte on Sunday. The 76ers, also sixth in the East, face Detroit on Saturday.