Minnesota coach Chris Finch suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee following a dramatic collision with Timberwolves guard Mike Conley during Sunday night’s playoff triumph over the Phoenix Suns
Assisted off the court and later transported from the arena via cart, Finch’s injury was subsequently confirmed by the Timberwolves organization.
The incident unfolded in the fourth quarter when Conley, maneuvering down the sideline, collided with Suns’ standout Devin Booker before inadvertently crashing into Finch. Despite Conley’s attempt to cushion the fall, Finch’s evident discomfort was palpable as he immediately clutched his right knee.
After a tense few moments attended by Minnesota players, coaches, and staff, Finch eventually rose with assistance and exited the court for further evaluation.
Minnesota’s 122-116 victory secured a series sweep over the Suns, propelling the Timberwolves to the second round for the first time since 2004.
Assistant coach Micah Nori assumed control for the final 1:41 of the game, providing updates that Finch was undergoing medical assessment. The team later congregated in the medical room to check on their sidelined coach.
“He’s obviously in good spirits and so are the guys,” Nori said.
Reflecting on the collision, Conley expressed regret at not spotting Finch sooner and shared a light-hearted moment by jesting about the mishap following the exhilarating Game 4 triumph.
“I told him to sit his (butt) down — he shouldn’t be standing up like that late in the game,” Conley said. “He’s in the way. But prayers up for him, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
