Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch’s knee injury appears to be trending in the right direction ahead of his team’s second-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Finch earlier this week had surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon he suffered during his team’s series-clinching win over the Phoenix Suns. Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. had accidentally crashed into Finch on the sideline late into the Game 4 win.
There is “increased optimism” that Finch will be present on the Timberwolves’ bench once the Western Conference semifinals begin, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Good news: There is increased optimism that Minnesota coach Chris Finch (torn patellar tendon) will be seated near bench for Timberwolves-Nuggets Western Conference semifinals tipping off on Saturday night, sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 4, 2024
Assistant coach Micah Nori will reportedly take on a “more active role” with Finch potentially parked in one spot on the sideline.
Finch was one of the finalists for the 2024 NBA Coach of the Year award after leading the 56-26 Timberwolves to their best regular season finish in 20 years. Having Finch on the sidelines battling through an injury would likely serve as a huge morale boost for the Timberwolves as they take on the defending-champion Nuggets.
Finch also seemed to be in good spirits following his surgery given his playful desire to exact revenge on Conley for injuring him.
