The Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off a stunning series win despite their underdog status and the constant injuries that ruined any tactics. Yet Chris Finch’s squad didn’t just survive; they thrived on the disrespect. Anthony Edwards had limited participation in Game 4, and it was the same game where his backcourt partner, Donte DiVincenzo, tore his Achilles tendon after just 78 seconds. To make matters worse, their guard depth took another hit as Ayo Dosunmu was out for tonight’s fixture. Yet the Wolves were fueled by spite and brought down the Denver Nuggets 110-98 to close out the series.
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Their head coach detailed exactly how his team remains motivated despite adversities. “Our guys, they took it personal,” said Finch to the media. “Denver had the chance to pick who they wanted to play coming down the stretch, and they chose us. We used that as motivation all the way through preparation and through the series. They chose us; they didn’t have to choose us. They chose us, and our guys were up for the challenge of that.”
The Nuggets closed out the regular season on a 12-game winning streak and were in a position to decide their final standings. A win for them guaranteed the #3 spot, but a loss would have moved them to #4 as the Lakers would have had the same victories and held the tie-break advantage.
Thus, a possible matchup for the Joker could have been against the injured Kevin Durant-led Houston Rockets. But Denver won with their reserves and faced the Timberwolves, who had bounced them in 2024.
Chris Finch: "Denver had the chance to pick who they wanted to play coming down the stretch and they chose us. We used that as motivation. They didn't have to choose us. They chose us"
Prediction models and even markets had Denver as the favorite. Let’s not forget that Anthony Edwards was not 100% coming into the postseason, as he had missed 11 of the 14 games. After the game 1 loss, Ant admitted feeling fatigued but was instrumental in winning the next two.
In the fourth game, he suffered left knee hyperextension and a bone bruise. Game 5 was a win for the Nuggets, and many again expected them to come back, but Chris Finch’s side had other ideas.
Five players scored in double-digits for Minnesota in the win. Jaden McDaniels stepped up and was spectacular as he finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. Terrence Shannon Jr., who started just two games in the regular season, came next with 24 points and six rebounds. Julius Randle had 18 points and five assists, Naz Reid had 15 points and seven rebounds, while Rudy Gobert provided 10 points and 13 rebounds. Despite limited resources, the Wolves’ head coach created a tactical advantage.
How Chris Finch outfoxed the Nuggets
Finch chose a starting five of Mike Conley, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert for Thursday’s encounter. Interestingly, this group had logged a grand total of six minutes together during the regular season and zero in the playoffs. But with injuries to Ant, DiVincenzo and Dosunmu, Chris Finch had a plan to use a lineup he’d never really used.
“I knew I wanted to get to it as much as I possibly could,” Finch said. “I wanted to get my best players on the floor. Sometimes that’s all it is. And that’s my best five. The length bothered them. There were matchups out there for both Julius and for Naz almost all the time. I was kicking myself after Game 5 that I didn’t do it more.”
He would also introduce a triple-big lineup of Gobert, Randle, and Reid that the Wolves had only run for 123 possessions all season. It had a +29.3 net rating, so Finch knew this would bother the Nuggets and the Joker. They were successful in keeping Denver under 100 for the third time in this series.
Even when Edwards and Dosunmu come back during the Spurs’ Round 2 series, the Wolves’ head coach can use the system to shut down another great center and current DPOY Victor Wembanyama.
