Chris Finch calls out players after ugly loss to Grizzlies

The The Minnesota Timberwolves left the floor frustrated and bruised pride after a 137-128 loss to the Memphis Grizzliesand Chris Finch he did not hide his anger. Anthony Edwards scored 39 points and Jayden McDaniels 29but the defense crumbled under the arena lights.

Chris Finch spoke after the game about Wolves’ defensive problems and issues with competitiveness tonight.

When asked how to get it out of the team, Finch said…

“Ask them. It’s up to them. They have to come in and put in the work. It can’t be a thing sometimes.” pic.tvitter.com/rUaKOIdjvL

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) February 3, 2026

Across the league, chaos is already swirling, with Giannis and James Harden trade talks dominating the headlines. In Memphis, the Timberwolves created their own storm. The The Grizzlies snapped a six-game losing streak. led wire-to-wire, and extended their lead to 20 early in the fourth quarter behind dominance on the glass.

In a video posted by Dane Moore, Chris Finch pointed directly to effort and discipline. “It’s just defensively what it was, I think we struggled with all the movement the shutout contained especially in the first half,” he said. “And then the second half … you know, there’s a lot of fouls. Especially when we tightened up the game, we gave them eight straight free throws.” When asked about competitiveness, the Timberwolves coach didn’t soften the blow. “Sometimes. Yes, of course… Ask them. It’s up to them. They have to go in and deal with them. It can’t be a thing sometimes.”

A warning sign for the Timberwolves

The loss dropped Minnesota to 31-20, sixth in the West, with just four wins in its last 10 games. Memphis, now 19-29 and 11th in the conference, looked hungrier. The Timberwolves had points. They lacked resistance. Every Grizzly run hits harder.

The game came during a week when Giannis and Harden reignited trade rumors and switched leagues. The The Timberwolves have emerged as a dark option in the Giannis Antetokounmpo negotiations if Jaden McDaniels were to become available. James Harden listed the Timberwolves as a potential landing spotencouraging a buzz. However, as the deadline approaches, the Timberwolves have turned their attention elsewhere. Finch’s message cut off. Stars mean little without effort. Talent fades without urgency.

Minnesota still has firepower and promise, led by the star power of Anthony Edwards. Still, nights like this reveal cracks that numbers can’t hide. Under pressure, the work has to show. Now the question is both simple and difficult: Will this loss spark a response or deepen the slide?