Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch signed a multi-year contract extension on Monday, after guiding the team to seventh place in the Western Conference and a play-in game berth.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Timberwolves also announced contract extensions for Finch's assistants, the day before they host the Los Angeles Clippers for a spot in the playoffs.
“It’s been a season that all of us, including our fans. can be proud of,” Finch said in a statement distributed by the team. "I’m grateful that my staff will continue to lead us forward.”
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch yells in the first half during an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP PhotoAndy Clayton-King)
Executive vice president of basketball operations Sachin Gupta said Finch's leadership is “unmatched and was evident by this year’s team success.”
Hired midway through the 2020-21 season to replace the fired Ryan Saunders, Finch has a 62-61 record for the second-best winning percentage (.504) by a head coach in Timberwolves history. The late Flip Saunders (.521) is first. Minnesota went 46-36 this season, the second-best record for the long-languishing franchise over the past 18 years.
The 52-year-old Finch has been an assistant with Toronto, New Orleans, Denver and Houston. The Timberwolves led the NBA in scoring this season at 115.9 points per game, a first in franchise history. Their defense also forced a league-leading average of 16.3 turnovers per game.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley, left, confers with head coach Chris Finch in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Friday, April 1, 2022, in Denver. (AP PhotoDavid Zalubowski)
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