Baxter Holmes, ESPN Senior WriterApr 29, 2024, 01:47 AM ET
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Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) is a senior writer for ESPN Digital and Print, focusing on the NBA. He has covered the Lakers, the Celtics and previously worked for The Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times.
PHOENIX — Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was helped off the court late in his team’s series-clinching 122-116 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night with a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee after one of his players collided with him on the sideline.
The collision occurred with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves’ closeout win to sweep the Suns in four games. Minnesota point guard Mike Conley was driving down the court and forced out of bounds by Suns guard Devin Booker, who was called for a foul.
Conley collided with Finch, who went down holding his right knee. Finch was surrounded by Timberwolves players and staff before being helped up and off the court. The team later confirmed he ruptured his patellar tendon.
Finch left the arena on a cart and did not speak to the media postgame, with assistant coach Micah Nori assuming those duties.
Nori said Finch was in the medical room getting checked out and that the team went down to see him after the game.
“He’s obviously in good spirits and so are the guys,” Nori said.
Nori took over for the final 1:41 of the game as the Wolves closed with relative ease.
“Everybody has their role, everybody has each other’s back,” Nori said. “I know it sounds corny, but it’s just next man up, even with the coaching staff.”
Earlier Sunday, Finch was announced as the third-place vote-getter behind winner Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder and second-place Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic for NBA Coach of the Year. Finch led Minnesota to the second-most wins in franchise history.
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