Chris Finch Claims NBA Refs Do Not Respect Timberwolves Enough

The Minnesota Timberwolves got a huge win on Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks, narrowing the margin in the series to 3-1; still a daunting feat, but much more doable than when they were down 3-0.

And now, the Wolves come back home to Target Center, where if they win, the Mavs are sure to be shaking in their shorts entering game 6. But first, they will have to land another haymaker again in game 5.

Maybe that’s why head coach Chris Finch was “edgy” when he took to the post game podium after last night’s win…? Nope. Paul Allen (KFAN) asked Finchy on his radio show Wednesday morning about why he seemed frustrated during his press conference after the win and the Timberwolves’ head coach said it’s the lack of respect that’s getting to him.

PA: “With the postgame press conference, Chris, were you a little edgy? Were you exhausted… I mean, it seemed like you were a little edgy in that press conference?”

Finch: “Yeah, maybe a little edgy. You know, I thought our guys fought through a lot of adversity last night, and you know, I just felt that we weren’t getting the respect that we deserve in this series, from a variety of places, but mainly on the floor. And my intention coming into the game, last night, was to inject the emotion into the game and make sure that people out there recognize that we were here to fight”

Chris Finch on with Paul Allen (KFAN Radio)

Clearly, PA knew there was more to the head coach’s frustration, so he pushed for more, asking Finch what he meant by “injecting emotion” into the team? That’s when Finchy took the opportunity to let us in on what has really been bothering him.

Chris Finch calls out referees on lack of respect for Minnesota Timberwolves

Chris Finch is convinced that, through 15 playoff games this postseason, the NBA officials referring the Timberwolves’ games have not given his team the respect he feels it has earned as one of the best teams in the National Basketball Association.

PA: “You said that in the postgame press conference and just doubled down on it, that your job was to inject emotion into the game last night. What does that mean?”

Finch: “Yeah I mean obviously, I knew our players would come out and we’d play hard and give it our all. But I also hadn’t felt that we’d been getting the respect from the officials that we deserve, as a team that’s accomplished [what we have] and played the way we have, and I wanted to make sure that I was out there gonna fight the fight for our guys who were fighting the good fight.”

Chris Finch on with Paul Allen (KFAN Radio)

He is 100% right. Why does Luka Doncic, the most annoying player in the entire NBA, get to push off, bully people and cry like an overgrown toddler, but rarely ever see repercussions.

Related: Dallas Mavericks Messed Up Giving Minnesota Timberwolves Their Confidence Back

Then, there’s a completely different expectation when Wolves players have the ball, and never get the same foul calls as Luka or Kyrie Irving do? Then, if they complain or even look at a referee the wrong way, out come the technicals?

That’s why he was on the refs all night during game 4 and why he plans on doing the same thing, going forward. If that means getting another technical foul for arguing with head referee, Scott Foster, then so be it.

PA: “So with the [technical foul] that KAT picked up #5 right in front of your bench, what was that more emotion injecting or do you think that [KAT’s] elbow to PJ shouldn’t have been called?”

Finch: “That was Scott Foster, you know, he had warned me earlier in the game. That call, I haven’t really looked at it again so I don’t know. I do know it looked a lot like the Doncic foul [earlier]. Not sure how one goes one way and the other goes the other way. But, I just waved off Scott Foster, which is apparently a taboo thing.”

PA: “So you got T’d up for the wave off?”

Finch: “Yeah, for the wave off.”

Chris Finch on with Paul Allen (KFAN Radio)

How can you not love Chris Finch? Riding the officials is, indeed, one spot in the game where Finch can make a difference, even if he isn’t walking the sidelines. I love that he sees what the rest of us see when it comes to how much the refs favor stars like Luka and Kyrie over Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.