The Minnesota Timberwolves are unsure if their head coach will be on the sidelines when they start their Western Conference semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
Chris Finch is set to undergo surgery to repair his right patellar tendon on Wednesday after he collided with guard Mike Conley in the final two minutes of Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns.
“I told him to sit his [butt] down. He shouldn’t be standing up like that late in the game,” Conley joked afterward. “He’s in the way. But prayers up for him, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Finch will be required to have his right leg immobilized in a brace following surgery. Minnesota assistant coach Micah Nori, who finished out Game 4, will be in charge if Finch is unable to be on the sidelines. Finch will be communicating from the locker room if that is the case.
“He’s obviously in good spirits and so are the guys,” Nori said after the Timberwolves finished off their sweep of the Suns on Monday night.
Finch, who finished third in NBA Coach of the Year voting, is expected to travel with the team ahead of Game 1 on Saturday at Ball Arena in Denver. It will be the first time the franchise has played beyond the opening round since 2004.
