Timberwolves coach Chris Finch condemns official Tony Brothers following Game 3 confrontation
The altercation occurred during a fourth-quarter stoppage in the 115-108 loss to San Antonio, marking the second consecutive night of public exchanges between coaches and officials in the NBA playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has publicly condemned NBA official Tony Brothers for what he described as completely unprofessional behaviour. The criticism follows Game 3 of the NBA playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs, where the incident unfolded during a fourth-quarter stoppage. Finch stated that the official's actions were unacceptable, a sentiment that arose after a specific dispute over a timeout request.
The confrontation began with approximately 5:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. Finch requested a timeout to reset an offensive possession, but Brothers did not grant the request until 5:09 remained. Finch subsequently stomped onto the court to demand his three seconds back, asserting that the official had clearly heard the call yet ignored him. This initial delay prompted Finch to confront the official directly, claiming the hesitation almost cost the team a turnover.
Following the timeout, Brothers approached the Timberwolves huddle to exchange words, leading to a second confrontation. Finch questioned where the ball would be inbounded, prompting Brothers to advance toward the coach again. The situation was de-escalated when Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni intervened to separate the two parties. Timberwolves centre Naz Reid also intercepted Brothers earlier to temporarily break up the argument.
The incident took place during a 115-108 defeat for Minnesota, a game in which the Spurs capitalised on the Timberwolves' poor shooting efficiency. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 39 points, while the Timberwolves struggled to finish over his defensive length. Despite taking 14 more shots than San Antonio, Minnesota made only 38 per cent of their attempts, with key scorers Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels shooting poorly from the field.
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards addressed the situation post-game, noting that competition at the highest level involves intense emotions. Edwards remarked that everyone wants to win, including Finch and the officials, and expressed that they all love Tony Brothers. However, the altercation remains a focal point of the team's disappointing night, which saw Minnesota fail to make a shot for nearly seven minutes in the first quarter.
This event marks the second consecutive night in the NBA playoffs involving a public exchange between a coach and an official. It follows a similar dispute between Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves and official John Goble in a Game 2 loss in Oklahoma City on Thursday night. The Timberwolves now face Game 4 on Sunday night in Minneapolis, with the Spurs holding a 2-1 lead in the series.
