Chris Finch reveals why Minnesota really ‘needed’ a win over the Heat
Chris Finch explained why it was necessary for Minnesota The Timberwolves will beat the Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Finch is in his sixth season as an NBA head coach, all with the Timberwolves. He wants to keep the team competitive as a serious playoff contender after reaching the West Finals the past two seasons.
However, Minnesota has gone through ups and downs as a team in the middle of the playoffs. Why? beating Miami on the road was important for Finch and Minnesota to win as he explained after the game.
“That’s exactly what we needed against a really good team that plays really well and has a style of play that’s very hard to guard,” Finch said.
Chris Finch in the Timberwolves’ win against the Heat
“That’s exactly what we needed against a really good team who play very well and have a style of play that is very difficult to guard” pic.twitter.com/bPL1aNck7f
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) January 4, 2026
How Chris Finch, the Timberwolves fared against the Heat
Chris Finch and the Timberwolves know they have the talent to compete with the best in the league. Taking out a Heat team capable of causing problems for elite units was significant for that reason alone.
The game was close between the two teams as Minnesota only led 90-86 after three quarters. Despite that, the Timberwolves played enough in the series to hold off Miami and get the win on the road.
Five players scored in double figures in Minnesota’s win. Anthony Edwards led the way with 33 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal. He shot 10-of-19 from the field, including 2-of-8 from beyond the arc and 11-of-14 from the free throw line. Next is Naz Reed with 29 points and four rebounds, Julius Randle 23 points and 10 rebounds, Rudy Gober 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Donte Di Vincenzo has 11 points and eight rebounds.
Minnesota improved to a 22-13 record on the season, holding onto sixth place in the Western Conference standings. They are 1.5 games above the Phoenix Suns and four games above the Golden State Warriors, while trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by 0.5 games and the Denver Nuggets by 1.5 games.
The Timberwolves will look forward to their next match, staying on the road. They face the Washington Wizards on January 4th at 6pm ET.
2026-01-04 02:35:00
