It’s safe to say that Olden Polynice isn’t impressed with Chris Finch‘s coaching.
Appearing on “Byron Scott’s Fast Break” podcast, the former NBA journeyman expressed doubt about the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ ability to clear the Western Conference finals hurdle, solely because of the guy leading them from the sidelines.
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”There’s certain people, certain looks, there’s certain different combinations of things that tell you if you’re gonna make it and win,” he said. “Finch does not like a head coach… Finch is not a championship coach okay? ‘Cause he makes all the wrong moves at all the right times?”
Finch pushed all the wrong buttons
It’s perfectly normal for a coach, regardless of level, to mess up once in a while. Even Phil Jackson admitted to making a costly mistake in the 1998 NBA finals.
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That said, Finch dropped the ball heavily in the back-to-back playoff runs that may have ultimately ended the Timberwolves’ championship hopes. For instance, Game 2 of the 2024 Western Conference finals was lost primarily because Finch pushed all the wrong buttons.
For instance, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News pointed out the late-game blunders by Finch. After the Dallas Mavericks successfully challenged a call with 47 seconds left, he subbed out Mike Conley in favor of Rudy Gobert.
Finch understandably matched up with Dallas’ size up front, so the Gobert sub on defense was an easy call. However, when Minnesota forced a Luka Doncic miss in the ensuing possession, Finch inexplicably did not call a timeout to insert Conley back to settle the offense.
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The next possession, without their best decision-maker on the floor, the then-22-year-old Anthony Edwards forced a pass to the corner, which led to a turnover.
Finch later admitted he should have had Conley out there.
”That’s on me in the sense that I should have called a timeout to get Mike back in the game,” he conceded.
The Wolves ultimately lost because of a Doncic 3-pointer over Gobert, 109-108.
For some reason, history repeated itself in 2025. In Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Finch stubbornly stuck to an eight-man rotation in the second half after the eventual champs outscored them by 14 in the third period.
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That could have been the perfect time to give spot minutes to Terrence Shannon, Jr. and Jaylen Clark.
After all, Shannon was instrumental in Minnesota’s 17-point comeback against OKC in February. Meanwhile, Clark had a big hand in holding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to nine points in the second half and overtime in the same contest.
The two youngsters may not have ultimately swung the game in their favor, but sticking to a short rotation with more than half of the players playing terribly was horrible to watch.
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Is it fair to dismiss Finch altogether?
Reaching the conference finals two years in a row is not something you stumble into, especially in the loaded West. Finch clearly has the Wolves playing at a high level, and that consistency deserves credit. You don’t get this deep in the playoffs without having a system that works.
Like players, coaches take their losses and adjust. The postseason shines a light on weaknesses, but it also gives tacticians the reps to figure things out. Finch has already tweaked his approach year to year, whether it’s tightening the defense or finding ways to keep Edwards in attack mode.
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So while Polynice paints him as a coach defined by mistakes, that’s only half the story. Continuity matters in the NBA, and if this core stays together, Finch has a real chance to turn those lessons into a breakthrough. Writing him off now certainly feels premature.
Related: “He knew what he was doing” – Olden Polynice blasts latest LeBron James’ offseason move
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.