Observing: Coach Chris Finch Publicly Criticizes Anthony Edwards' On-Court Dedication
In the post-game press conference, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch didn't mince words about Anthony Edwards' performance during their Game 1 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The team's star player managed just a single point in the first half and missed his first 10 shots.
Finch's criticism was clear, remarking, "It starts with Ant." He went on to say, "What is there to talk about? You're the leader of the team. You've got to come out and set the tone."
Though Edwards wasn't the only Wolves player struggling, his performance was placed under the spotlight, with Finch emphasizing his responsibility as the team's leader. He urged Edwards to maintain his energy even when his shot didn't fall.
Meanwhile, star center Rudy Gobert blamed rust as a factor in the lack of intensity for Minnesota. "Maybe we needed to get ready to play a high-intensity game," Gobert admitted. "Not playing for six days, even though we practiced, I think we weren't really feeling that intensity."
The Wolves had a tough night from beyond the arc, hitting only five of their 29 three-point attempts. This poor shooting performance has been a concern in both their closeout Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers and their loss against the Warriors, resulting in a combined 12-for-76 (15.8%) from three-point range.
Another issue that frustrated Finch was the team's execution in offensive transition, managing just 10 points off 18 Warriors turnovers.
"Our transition decision-making was diabolical," Finch lamented. "Obviously, we couldn't hit a shot, but I didn't like the fact that we couldn't repeatedly generate good shots. We should've been able to."
As the Timberwolves look to turn things around in Game 2, they'll need to address their shooting woes and improve their transition game. Let's see if they can heat up and make things interesting when they take the court at 8:30 p.m. EST on Thursday.
Edwards struggled in the first half, missing his first 10 shots and scoring only a single point, as noted by coach Chris Finch. Finch highlighted Edwards' responsibilities as the team's leader and encouraged him to maintain energy despite poor shooting. The Timberwolves' transition decision-making was poor, according to Finch, managing just 10 points off 18 Warriors turnovers. The team also had a tough night from beyond the arc, hitting only five out of 29 three-point attempts, an issue that has been recurring in both their games against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. As they prepare for Game 2, the Timberwolves need to work on their shooting woes and transition game in order to heat up and make things competitive.
