Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch says San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama should have been called for goaltending in Game 1.
The Timberwolves pulled off a massive upset in Game 1 with a nail-biting 104-102 road victory. This came despite Wembanyama having 12 blocks, which set the NBA record for most blocks in a playoff game. The 22-year-old shot-blocking prodigy from France also added 11 points and 15 rebounds, becoming the third player in NBA history to have a playoff triple-double that included 10+ blocks.
It was a true team effort for the Timberwolves, as the team had six players in double digits, with power forward Julius Randle leading the team with 21 points. Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards, who has been dealing with injuries during the playoffs, came off the bench to add 18 and help lift the Wolves to this huge upset victory over the stacked Spurs.
Chris Finch Says Victor Wembanyama Was Goaltending
For the Timberwolves, one of the only ways they are going to pull off the upset in this series is if they can contain Wembanyama. In Game 1, the team was able to defend his scoring, as Wembanyama scored just 11 points on 5-17 shooting, including going 0-8 on 3-pointers. But the 12 blocked shots are very concerning as the series moves forward, as the Wolves are going to need every point they can get if they are going to come through as the underdog against a strong San Antonio squad.
Speaking to reporters the day after Game 1, coach Finch said that after reviewing the tape, he found at least four blocks that he felt were clear goaltends. He urged NBA officials to keep a closer eye on Wembanyama going forward in the series, to make sure that his blocks are legal.
“When we looked at them, at least four of them were goaltending, maybe even a fifth. To me, it’s a little alarming that none of them were called. Here’s a generational shot blocker who’s 7’6″ (actually 7’4″) who goes after everything, and there’s no heightened awareness that these blocks could be goaltends? The third possession of the game was a goaltend, and it was a clean, obvious one. So let’s just say there were four, that’s 8 points. Do you know the value of 8 points in an NBA game? It’s massive. That’s also 33% of his blocks were goaltending uncalled,” Finch said.
The coach ended the discussion by quipping with reporters, “If I were to give you a 33% raise, you’d like that, right? I mean, that’s a huge number.”
Chris Finch: “You know the value of eight points in an NBA game? That’s 33 percent of his blocks.”
Rudy Gobert joked: “I want that type of treatment, too.”
Rudy Gobert Echoes Coaches’ Comments on Goaltending
Echoing the comments made by his head coach, Wolves center Rudy Gobert agreed that several of Wembanyama’s blocks were goaltends, and he joked he wished the refs gave him the same benefit of a doubt.
“If you look at them, probably three or four (blocks) were goaltending. I wish I had that type of treatment too,” joked Gobert, who is close friends with Wembanyama as the two play together on the French national team, previously teaming up and winning an Olympic silver medal in 2024.
Chris Finch Says Victor Wembanyama Should Have Been Called for Goaltending