Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch delivered a wide-ranging postgame assessment after his team’s 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the Western Conference series at Target Center on Saturday night.
Finch opened by reflecting on the season-long mentality, saying, “All season just fighting through everything we did.” He added, “We knew that they were going to come out with a super spirited and sharp effort, which they certainly looked good in the first.”
He pointed to the turning point after early adversity, stating, “Losing those two guys was really tough emotionally for the guys. We regrouped well. I thought the key was just hanging in there until we get to halftime.”
At the break, Finch described a tactical reset. “Kind of reset things. Figure out what we have and who we have going forward,” he said. “We were able to find our offensive rhythm. It was out of this world, man.”
Ayo Dosunmu drew strong praise after a career playoff performance. Finch said, “Yeah, he’s a gamer. He’s really a gamer. He has met the moment since he’s gotten here.” He added, “We were going to ride him until he collapsed really.”
Reflecting on the performance, Finch added a standout line: “It was out of this world, man. Play after play after play, we really had a team effort. Everybody chipped in.”
The emotional weight of Donte DiVincenzo’s injury also stood out in Finch’s remarks. “I feel it’s completely devastating for Donte,” he said. “He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do.”
Finch emphasized the veteran presence of Mike Conley, noting, “Mike was outstanding. So many little plays.” He highlighted his late-game organization, saying Conley “made sure that Ayo gets the ball in the right situations down the stretch.”
He also pointed to the defensive identity shift mid-series, saying, “So we jumped their ass.” Finch explained the need for adjustment, stating, “They responded. We still got a lot of basketball to play yet.”
On Rudy Gobert’s impact against Nikola Jokic, Finch was direct: “Some of the best defense I’ve ever seen one-on-one from him.” He added, “He’s been incredible, man. Defensive player of the year.”
Looking ahead, Finch remained uncertain about availability for key players, saying, “We’ll see. With Anthony and Donte for sure, then we’ll go from there.”
