Phoenix, Arizona – Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee during a collision with guard Mike Conley in the team’s playoff victory over the Phoenix Suns. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter of the game on Sunday night, prompting concern for Finch’s well-being.
Following the collision, where Conley collided with Suns’ Devin Booker before running into Finch, the coach was helped off the court and eventually left on a cart. Team officials confirmed the severity of Finch’s injury as he displayed immediate discomfort and held onto his knee in pain.
Despite the setback, the Timberwolves managed to secure a 122-116 win over the Phoenix Suns, sweeping the first-round series and advancing to the second round for the first time since 2004. Assistant coach Micah Nori stepped in to direct the team in the coach’s absence during the final minutes of the game.
Nori mentioned that Finch was being evaluated in the medical room post-game and that the team had visited him to show their support. Conley, the player involved in the collision, expressed regret at the incident and tried to lighten the mood by cracking a few jokes at Finch’s expense after the game.
“I told him to sit his (butt) down — he shouldn’t be standing up like that late in the game,” Conley said with a chuckle. “But prayers up for him, I’m sure he’ll be fine.” The team aims to continue their successful momentum in the upcoming rounds, utilizing their resilience to overcome challenges on and off the court.