The Minnesota Timberwolves had plenty of reasons to celebrate on Sunday night. Not only did they defeat the Houston Rockets 111-90 to improve their record to 35-15, tied for the best in the Western Conference, but they also learned that their head coach Chris Finch would be leading the West All-Stars in the 73rd NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
Finch, who is in his fourth season as the Wolves’ head coach, earned the coaching honor after guiding the team to the best 50-game start in franchise history. He also became the second Wolves coach to be named an All-Star coach, following Flip Saunders in 2004.
The Wolves players and staff showed their appreciation for Finch in the locker room after the game, showering him with water and chanting his name.
THAT’S OUR COACH pic.twitter.com/fUPlAf5dFv
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) February 5, 2024
Finch was visibly moved by the gesture and thanked his team for their support and hard work.
“It’s a great honor, but it’s really a reflection of our team and our organization,” Finch said. “I’m just proud of our guys and what we’ve accomplished so far. We still have a lot of work to do, but this is a nice recognition for us.”
Finch will be joined by two of his players, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, who were selected as reserves for the West All-Star team. Edwards, who is averaging 24.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, will be making his second All-Star appearance. Towns, who is averaging 23.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, will be making his third All-Star appearance.
The Wolves will have a chance to extend their winning streak to four games when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. They will also look to maintain their lead in the West, as they are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder and one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be televised on TNT at 8 p.m. ET.
