The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their second straight loss in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. The game, however, was marred by an altercation between NBA referee Tony Brothers and Timberwolves Chris Finch.
The incident happened in the fourth quarter, forcing Timberwolves assistant coaches and players to separate the two during a dead-ball situation. It was triggered when Finch asked for a timeout, but was granted late by the official.
“I had called it three seconds earlier and I wanted the timeout and I said, ‘I want my three seconds back,'” Finch said after the loss. “He clearly heard me. He looked my way, ignored me, went on with the play and almost cost us a turnover. He lost it.”
Finch labeled it as “unprofessional behavior” after being on the receiving end of a scream from Brothers.
“Then I went to ask him where the ball was going to be taken in, and he was screaming at me for that. So, completely unprofessional behavior by him.”
The scene was eventually diffused, and the Timberwolves came to within two points in the final minutes but eventually fell to the Spurs to go down 2-1 in the series.
It was the second straight night where a referee had a verbal altercation with a competing party. Last night, the LA Lakers’ Austin Reaves came to blows with NBA official John Goble in Game 2 of their second-round series against the OKC Thunder.
Reaves said he was “disrespected” by the official and subsequently spoke his mind about the official when the final buzzer sounded. The Lakers are down 0-2 in the series.
Anthony Edwards Airs Feelings About Finch’s Altercation With Tony Brothers
GettyMinnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards plays the most minutes.
Anthony Edwards also expressed his side on Finch’s altercation with NBA referee Brothers, downplaying the situation as he expressed respect for both.
“It’s competition at the highest level, man,” he said. “We want to win, Finch wants to win. Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. You know, we all love him, so it’s all good.”
Edwards, who was under a minute restriction in the first two games, played 41 minutes and led the Timberwolves with 32 points.
He also had 14 rebounds and six assists on 12-of-26 shooting from the field.
Mistakes Cost The Timberwolves Game 3
GettyChris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts on the Game 3 loss.
The Timberwolves kept within striking distance for most of the game before allowing the Spurs to break away in the third quarter.
However, for Finch, the team lost the game because of multiple game plan mistakes, especially on the defensive end in the fourth quarter, which allowed Spurs’ stars such as Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox to carry the team to the victory.
“Rudy [Gobert] decides to go under on the flare screen. That was a three. Pull in on the pick and roll, overhelp, gave up a three in the corner, you know, just a lot of the little things like that,” he said.
Gobert was benched towards the end of the fourth period for Naz Reid, giving the Timberwolves an extra offensive option, albeit to naught.
Timberwolves Coach Chris Finch Explains What Happened in Altercation With NBA Referee: ‘Unprofessional’