Wolves HC Says SGA, Thunder 'Foul All the Time' on Defense: 'Very Frustrating Thing'
The Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 25-point second-half deficit to earn a 131-128 overtime win over the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, but head coach Chris Finch still had much to complain about after the victory.
"It's so frustrating to play this team because they foul a ton," Finch said of the Thunder, per ESPN. "They really do. They foul all the time."
The Timberwolves were coming off a 130-123 loss to the Thunder on Sunday night, so Monday's win was a bit of revenge. To Finch's point, Minnesota attempted 39 free throws in Monday's contest, its most in a single game since November 2022.
Finch also lamented on the perceived favorable treatment for Oklahoma City star and MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had a game-high 39 points in a losing effort. He praised his players for being able to overcome all the factors working against them.
"And then you can't really touch Shai. And it's a very frustrating thing and it takes a lot of mental toughness to try and play through it," Finch said. "And we just eventually were able to get downhill and force the issue ourselves and were rewarded for it."
After improving to 32-27, the Timberwolves will try to earn a second straight win when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers (34-21) on Thursday.
