Coach Chris Finch’s early ejection produces his desired result for Timberwolves

After the Timberwolves’ 112-107 victory over the Thunder on Friday night, coach Chris Finch stood next to President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly, and both greeted players as they came off the Target Center floor. Anthony Edwards came by and gave a quick dap to his coach, and Edwards walked down the hallway, talking to a team camera.

“We fed off Finchy’s energy,” Edwards said.

Finch walked on a ramp to the left of Edwards and Edwards wondered if that was the first time Finch had been ejected. Edwards forgot about Jan. 30 at Phoenix last season, when Finch got ejected for referring the officials as “bozos.” He was a little more animated against the Thunder.

But as he walked up the ramp next to Edwards, Finch was sure to remind Edwards, “we won ’em both.”

Finch got the response he was looking for from both his team and likely the officials from his fiery reaction to two non-calls only 6 minutes, 19 seconds into Friday’s game. Finch earned a first technical for his reaction when both Edwards and Julius Randle complained about non-foul calls on a Wolves possession.

Then he decided to get his money’s worth, and during a break in the action, went out toward halfcourt to yell at the officials. He was headed back to the bench, then decided to get his money’s worth. He turned around, went back toward the officials and and began screaming at them as assistants and security personnel held him back.

“I mean, he wasn’t that far out on the floor,” joked Wolves assistant Micah Nori, who took over head coaching duties after Finch’s ejection.

“That fueled a lot of fire in us,” said forward Naz Reid, who had 15 points. “It was exciting to see. Obviously he was into the game, so I don’t think it was a stunt. Stuff like that, you want to fight for someone who is fighting for you.”

Added Donte DiVincenzo: “He gave everybody energy, not just us, but the fans. You shouldn’t have to do that, but you could tell, like from that moment on, they controlled the next four or five minutes after that, then we settled in. We took the energy that was in the arena.”

All the ingredients were there for Finch’s second career ejection. First, Finch was upset in a film session following Wednesday’s loss to Memphis. He was also upset before last season’s ejection in Phoenix, a day Finch “woke up choosing violence,” according to former Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Edwards, whom Finch doesn’t spare in these settings, joked that his coach couldn’t get on him this time because the All-Star has been sidelined by injury the previous three games.

“It was the first time I wasn’t on the film, so I was in there relaxed,” Edwards said with a smile. “I was chilling, you know? I didn’t get cussed out this time. But yeah, it was good for us, though. But I wasn’t on the receiving end. I was chilling.”

Also, Oklahoma City is not Finch’s favorite opponent. After a victory last season, Finch complained the Thunder get away with fouling on the defensive end of the floor while officials call touch fouls on their star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. So when the Wolves had the two non-calls early in the game, Finch erupted.