Chris Finch calls Timberwolves ‘immature’ after Karl-Anthony Towns scores 62 in loss

Disgusting. Immature.

Those were two of the words Timberwolves coach Chris Finch used to describe his team’s 128-125 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, a memorable failure that overshadowed a historic night. Karl-Anthony Towns scored a franchise-record 62 points, but the Wolves couldn’t stop the 13th-best team in the East.

“There was a lot of immature performances here throughout the roster,” Finch said after the game. “We totally disrespected the game, ourselves, and we got exactly what we deserved.”

The league’s third-worst scoring offense put up its highest point total since November against the typically defensive-dominant Timberwolves, outscoring Minnesota 36-18 in the final period.

“It was an absolute disgusting performance of defense and immature basketball,” Finch said.

Several players echoed Finch, including center Rudy Gobert.

“What [Towns] did was incredible, and he did something I’ve never seen before, but a mature team would keep poise,” Gobert said. “We were celebrating like it was the fourth quarter and the game was over. We’ve got to learn from that. A mature team, we’d have to handle those things better.”

Guard Anthony Edwards said after the game that he let the team down with his 3-for-11 shooting, and he described a supporting cast that was so excited for Towns that the focus shifted to him and away from winning the game.

“Once he hit his first six, seven shots, I think everybody was pretty much just trying to see him go get a hundred points,” Edwards said. “I know I was. I think all of us was wanting to see him get 80 or whatever it was. We’ll learn from it, though.”

It was clear in Target Center that Towns’ teammates were going to feed him until he broke the franchise record of 60 points that he set in March 2022 against San Antonio. The Hornets knew this, too, and post backdowns turned into double teams, which led to Towns committing a game-high seven turnovers. When drivers kicked the ball out to open shooters late, the Wolves weren’t able to score, shooting only 6-for-22 in the final quarter. Meantime, Charlotte made six three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Towns said he could find no “silver lining” in the loss. Gobert tried and offered that the team’s performance could and should serve as a wake-up call for a group that’s now lost two in a row.

“It’s good to get slapped right now,” Gobert said. “It’s a good test for us to see if we stay together. I know we will. I think we needed it.”