While speaking to the media during shootaround Thursday afternoon in Memphis, Mike Conley discussed Chris Finch’s film sessions and how he holds everyone accountable, most recently after the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 24-point fourth-quarter collapse on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
“When we watch it, and [Finch] is able to dissect it in front of us, we know who is at fault,” said Conley. “Regardless [of] if we turn the ball over and don’t get good looks, we’re still a defensive-minded team. We can still get stops. We can still make plays on the other end. We weren’t doing that, and he addresses that.”
“He calls us out individually. It doesn’t matter who you are or how many years you got. If you are a superstar or not. He’s going to let you know. Everybody respects that part of him, and we kind of get lit up from that.”
The Timberwolves desperately needed the loss in Milwaukee and Finch’s film session to light a fire under them. They were about to play arguably the most important regular-season game since Game 82 in 2018, Thursday against the Memphis Grizzlies. They needed to rediscover their backbone after the Bucks ripped it from them, getting back to the defensive-minded team they’ve prided themselves on being since last season.
Failing at that goal in Memphis was not an option.
Many times this season, the Wolves have stressed that they are a defensive-oriented team. Their offense is ninth-best in the league and has been inconsistent. However, their sixth-ranked defense has been something the Timberwolves have fallen back on for most of the season.
Minnesota’s collapse in Milwaukee was different, though. The Timberwolves shot an unspeakable 4 of 20 (20%) from the floor in the fourth while turning it over eight times. They also allowed the Bucks to hang 40 points on the scoreboard on 13 of 23 (56.5%) from the floor.
It was one game. Really, it was one-quarter. The Timberwolves played some of their best basketball of the season through the first three frames, moved the ball, took Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the first half, and hit big shots in the third.
Minnesota had won five straight before Tuesday’s loss. Still, how the Wolves self-imploded on both ends in Milwaukee is not what fans, coaches, or players wanted to witness with less than a week left in the regular season.
The Wolves needed to return to the team they were in March when they had gone a franchise-best 11-3 and were in the top five in offensive rating (third) and defensive rating (fifth).
March felt far away after Tuesday’s loss and kept floating further away in the first half on Thursday.
The Timberwolves were down 72-67 at halftime in Memphis. The offense clicked for most of the half. Anthony Edwards was in a groove, with 26 first-half points on 8 of 12 from the floor. However, Minnesota was playing undisciplined defense.
The Grizzlies have scored over 100 points in 79 of their 80 games and rank sixth in offensive rating. Therefore, it would not have been surprising if they had a productive first half offensively. Regardless, 72 points over 24 minutes is unacceptable, especially because the Wolves left the Grizzlies wide open from three-point range too frequently.
Desmond Bane had 24 points in the first half on 6 of 6 from three-point range. Five of his long-range hits came during Bane’s nine second-quarter minutes. All but one of his threes were without a hand in his face or a Wolves defender even remotely close.
It was target practice for a career 40% three-point shooter who was filling up the bullseye.
“We got cussed out at halftime, especially myself,” Edwards told the media postgame. “We put emphasis on the [defensive] side of the ball.”
Memphis entered Thursday’s game second in the NBA in third-quarter net rating (+12.3), threatening to pull away coming out of halftime. Minnesota’s defense was disconnected, making far too many head-scratching plays. It appeared as if the Wolves left their backbone in Milwaukee and, with it, their hopes of climbing out of the Play-In.
However, they made it clear they still had their gumption in Memphis. All they had to do was harken back to the defensive team they’ve aspired to be all season.
“We got our energy from our defense, which was where we needed it,” said Finch after Minnesota’s 141-125 win. “We got us a couple plays that got us a little bit in transition and got some great looks from three. Everybody took really good shots, and it started to snowball.”
24-2 RUNNNNN
pic.twitter.com/JrXFNZ0RC6
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 11, 2025
Finch’s message to his team at halftime worked. The Wolves recorded 52 points in the third quarter, a franchise record for most points in any quarter, outscoring Memphis by 27 points. Edwards erupted for 18 points in the frame on 5 of 5 from the floor. The Wolves shot an uncanny 18 of 21 (85.7%) from the floor and recorded a 192.6 offensive rating as a team.
Minnesota’s third-quarter offense will go into the franchise history books, but its defense was just as important. The Wolves held Memphis to 9 of 25 from the floor, 2 of 6 from deep, and 7 of 19 from two-point range. The Grizzlies turned it over five times, resulting in eight points for Minnesota, which recorded a 92.6 offensive rating.
More importantly, Bane only attempted one three in his ten minutes of action.
It was one of Minnesota’s most mature and impressive quarters this season. However, they outscored the Bucks 34-25 in the third on Tuesday, so the Wolves still had to finish strong, even though they held a 22-point lead.
Memphis pulled within ten points with 4:18 left in the fourth quarter, but the Wolves put together enough big buckets, crucial stops, and rebounds to finalize an impressive win.
Julius Randle and Edwards combined for 75 points on 63.4% from the floor. The Timberwolves shot 55.2%, put together a historic third quarter, and picked up their 15th win in the last 19 games. More importantly, their hopes of staying out of the Play-In are alive.
Fourth is the highest the Timberwolves can finish, giving them home-court advantage in the first round. If they win the final two games of the season, against the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz at home, they will secure at least the sixth seed.
Giving up 125 points is not a sustainable method to win in the playoffs. The Wolves are 4-9 this season when they do so. However, they rediscovered their backbone in their most crucial game of the season. It took spirited pep talks from the coaching staff for the Wolves to return to a similar level as the one they were on in March.
The blunder in Milwaukee was a gut punch, but the Wolves recovered, located their backbone, and continue to be one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference.