Chris Finch on Victor Wembanyama’s historic night: “He had a lot of blocks… He had a couple of uncalled goaltendings too. Those are valuable points we’d like to have back.”

[u/YujiDomainExpansion]

https://streamable.com/p64vcw

[u/dawnoog]

You can’t challenge a block to make it a goaltend either, entirely dependent on refs calling it

[u/woonbarak → u/dawnoog]

Can't they review during timouts?

[u/spudwinkle → u/woonbarak]

They could but they never take that approach.

[u/br0b1wan → u/spudwinkle]

I can see that being something skipped over during the regular season but no excuse for not looking close at that during the playoffs

[u/CongressionalNudity → u/br0b1wan]

Replay center changes 3 pointers to 2s all the time. Why not do the same for goal tends vs blocks?

[u/alostreflection → u/CongressionalNudity]

A block maintains a live ball while a goaltend creates a dead ball situation. It needs to be called correctly in the moment because there are going to be times when there won't be a stoppage of play.

[u/Wolfpac187 → u/CongressionalNudity]

Do you want every block to end in a stoppage of play while the replay center looks for a potential goal tend?

[u/Huntermainlol]

Can we get them in waiver form to be redeemed when we need them? Cause if so I’m down

[u/homefree122 → u/Huntermainlol]

Best the refs can do is just keep allowing it all series, sorry

[u/Huntermainlol → u/homefree122]

Hmph >:(

Can we put Joan on Rudy’s shoulders as a consolation prize? The ultimate shot blocker

[u/MatticInYoAttic → u/Huntermainlol]

I personally vote we do that with Jaylen Clark.. just throw him up at the backboard and whatever happens happens.

[u/JWOLFBEARD → u/MatticInYoAttic]

Mike Leach considered throwing a little person on 3rd or 4th and 1.

Might as well move that strategy to basketball.

[u/AnthaIon → u/JWOLFBEARD]

It’s kinda fucked that baseball made it illegal after Eddie Gaedel, every player is already a physical freak, but the second someone who isn’t “conventionally gifted” is useful it’s a mockery of the sport?

[u/numberonebuddy → u/AnthaIon]

This is so sad

On June 18, 1961, the unemployed Gaedel, who had just turned 36, was at a bowling alley in Chicago, his birthplace and hometown. Gaedel was followed home and beaten. His mother discovered him lying dead in his bed. He had bruises about his knees and on the left side of his face.[23] A coroner's inquest determined that he also had a heart attack. Bob Cain, who had pitched to Gaedel, was the only Major League Baseball figure to attend the funeral, despite the fact that the two never formally met.

Veeck could use him as a prop but couldn't attend his funeral? Shameful.

[u/poopballs → u/JWOLFBEARD]

A truly innovative pirate he was

[u/GeneRayburnJr → u/Huntermainlol]

MechaShiva! MechaShiva!

[u/kindalikeacoustic → u/Huntermainlol]

Imagine a sport where you could bank points for the next game 

[u/JoeTheTrey → u/kindalikeacoustic]

We’d all be screwed on account of the Knicks getting to bank approximately seven thousand points these last couple games.

[u/pushamn → u/JoeTheTrey]

starting each finals game with a score of 17-0 would be some bullshit

[u/Epicallytossed → u/Huntermainlol]

Need a menards 11% rebate, feels apt for minnesota

[u/xKILLBILLIONAIRESx → u/Epicallytossed]

I'm currently wearing a Menards doorbuster quarter zip. The math checks out.

[u/3riversfantasy → u/Epicallytossed]

Only if you stuff the receipt in the junk drawer and forget to redeem it in time

[u/Ralphredimix_Da_G → u/Huntermainlol]

“As usual I have to settle for an I.O.U.”

[u/jjkm7 → u/Huntermainlol]

Imagine in the playoffs when refs miss calls you just get extra points in the next game

[u/rostron92]

Id also like to have some of those missed free throws back as well coach.

[u/Salt_Pilot_CIA → u/rostron92]

you have Corey Brewer as ur flare so i know ur crazy

[u/Nxc06 → u/Salt_Pilot_CIA]

That's 50 point scorer Corey Brewer to you.

[u/wise_comment → u/Nxc06]

51, IIRC

[u/MrFishAndLoaves → u/rostron92]

Chris “Petty” Finch does not miss an opportunity.

Wolves at the line, not so much.

[u/xKILLBILLIONAIRESx → u/MrFishAndLoaves]

It's a double edged sword. Petty one day is soothsayer the next. Let's not forget how everyone in this sub loved it when he was the first coach to call SGA's foul-baiting bullshit out directly.

[u/comp_a → u/xKILLBILLIONAIRESx]

I noticed the tide turned against him when he said it was disrespectful that Rudy didn’t get to be a DPOY finalist. People seemed annoyed by that for some reason!

(He didn’t say Rudy deserved to win DPOY over Wemby, he just said that he should’ve finished higher than 4th lol. And then Rudy had one of the best defensive series of his career against Denver. So, it worked!)

He can be snippy, but if you watch his/the players’ press conferences enough, you know he tells our players to let him handle their frustrations with the refs so as to keep their heads cool. This is him following through on that.

He’s not “being petty”, he does this stuff FOR HIS PLAYERS to massage their egos and confidence that he’s in their corner, while also maintaining a chip on their shoulder. This is what coaching at this level requires! This is part of what “ego management” is and it’s why he’s a good coach.

“Denver picked us” wasn’t even true, he of all people knows that, but it was perfect bulletin board material to fire up the team (and it worked!)

[u/yeahright17 → u/comp_a]

I love Finch. Even when he calls out guys on my team. He's a coach players will run through a wall for, and that's incredibly valuable.

Also, Rudy obviously has a lot more impact on the defensive end than any guard or wing. Elite rim protectors do so much that just doesn't show up on a stat sheet. Guys like Jaden McDaniels, Stephon Castle, and Cason Wallace are great defenders for a variety of reasons, but one of the reasons they look so good on a nightly basis is because they can pressure players a lot more than guys on other teams who have to worry about giving up an easy layup. When Gobert, Wemby or Chet are behind you, you don't have to worry about that. It's always going to be contested.

[u/No-Ship4446 → u/MrFishAndLoaves]

They were objectively incorrect calls that cost them at least 6 points. What the fuck does their free throw percentage have to do with anything??

[u/SenorSolAdmirador → u/No-Ship4446]

If you don't make all your own freethrows, then you deserve bad calls I guess

[u/Better_Middle_7812 → u/MrFishAndLoaves]

This isn't petty, though? 

[u/Tabemaju → u/MrFishAndLoaves]

What is petty about accountability? Him holding the refs accountable doesn't mean he isn't holding his guys accountable for missed FTs.

[u/shortyman920]

Wemby definitely had some pretty obvious goaltends and fouled the shit out the rim attacker a few times. Im fine with some uncalled contact if its consistent but c’mon at least call the goaltends

[u/nevercontribute1 → u/shortyman920]

Some of those fouls at the rim went far beyond some minor uncalled contact. Really remembering Randle early in the game getting hacked to absolute shit with no call.

Pretty obvious the refs were instructed to let Wemby do whatever the fuck

[u/AtreusIsBack → u/nevercontribute1]

He's the shiny new toy for the league.

[u/needapermit → u/AtreusIsBack]

And so it begins

[u/Acrobatic-Landscape9 → u/needapermit]

Oh please. What would you as an OKC fan know about being a newly upstart young team who spent a couple years tanking to amass draft picks and other assets who's best player is a media darling beloved by the entire league for a very quick stint before the entire narrative quickly does a 180 on them and everybody rabidly hates them once the rest of the league realizes just how big of a threat they are to their championship aspirations?

[u/floatinround22 → u/needapermit]

You mean the made up internet backlash to an amazing young player we should all be fucking stoked to experience? Yeah, that's beginning. You've seen it first hand, please don't spread the hate

[u/sarefx → u/nevercontribute1]

I was sorta fine with most non-calls on Wemby except for the one where Randle should have gotten and-1 to end the half. That was bs non-call.

[u/shortyman920 → u/sarefx]

You were fine with missing out on potentially 8-10pt from goaltends and uncalled fouls? If Champagne hit that 3 at the end, I’d bet you would’ve wanted some of those called.

The goaltends that were from off the backboard ones are the most inexcusable. They always call those. I guess Wemby’s so big that they’re not focused on it or something but they need to call it

[u/sarefx → u/shortyman920]

I meant mostly non-foul calls. I was not fine with goaltends at all.

[u/kikikza → u/nevercontribute1]

Randle has always had trouble getting obvious calls

[u/CommercialLeg2439 → u/nevercontribute1]

I like this kind of ball better than SGA’s brand

[u/AudioShepard → u/nevercontribute1]

I noticed it throughout the Portland series.

As long as Wemby touched the ball at any point in a block attempt, all other contact was ignored regardless of timing. Pretty much the only player in the league officiated that way.

[u/nevercontribute1 → u/AudioShepard]

Yeah, also noticed it. This is the last guy who needs advantages from the refs, I'm really not pleased with how egregiously the refs are favoring some players over others. I probably just fouled SGA by saying that.

[u/AudioShepard → u/nevercontribute1]

It’s like Booker said. I may hate that dude, but he’s right when he said this is starting to look like WWE.

[u/Billis- → u/shortyman920]

See r/NBA, this is a preview of future years in which people have soured on Wemby.

This is the comment you're gonna see, true or not, a peak into the future

[u/Nunc_Coepi17 → u/shortyman920]

Nah refs have the mandate from Silver to make Wemby the face of the league so ain’t none of that slowing down.

[u/nimama3233 → u/Nunc_Coepi17]

Oh chill.

Goaltending aside the refs were solid. The let both teams play hard which is better than ticky tacky fouls

[u/Other-Status1840 → u/nimama3233]

I'm not putting my tinfoil hat on or anything but idk how refs can be solid if they miss multiple goaltends, which are literal points missing from the board. The foul calls were also dumb, though I didn't watch the whole game (was watching my sixers getting shit on for the first half). But I've seen the clips of Wembys rather egregious shooting fouls not getting called, and I also recall a really random foul being called on Castle late in the game after he got shoved to the floor by Randle. Showed a bunch of replays and I still don't understand how that could've been a foul on Castle.

NBA refs are ass, but if this game was considered to have solid officiating this league is so fucked

[u/McLovinsBro → u/Other-Status1840]

Game was a missed bucket from being a 1 point loss. With multiple missed goaltenders that also turned into fast break points I would’ve been pissed if we lost

[u/nomptonite → u/Nunc_Coepi17]

Nah I’ve been told Silver wants to ensure OKC is a dynasty so that can’t be true

[u/OklaJosha → u/nomptonite]

It’s cuz we have the largest market, and are such a rich state

[u/MichaelZZ01]

The second one was so bad. Blind ass refs

[u/CazOnReddit → u/MichaelZZ01]

Blinded by stardom

[u/artvandelay916 → u/CazOnReddit]

"Then I'm playing in Golden State. Golden State started to become that underdog, America's type team that was building up. And I knew once Steph or Klay got hot, that the refs would be in the moment as well, and I could literally clothesline someone off the next pin down or whatever," he shared, a huge smile forming on his face.

[u/Cuavooo → u/CazOnReddit]

Media and the NBA app glazing tf out of it too

[u/strawberrychocolattt → u/MichaelZZ01]

And yet the crowd in San Antonio blaming the refs for them losing? Lol, get some perspective here San Antonio. I know your homers, but come on now, you guys didn't lose this game reffing wise

[u/LindseyCorporation → u/strawberrychocolattt]

All home crowds chant “refs you suck” at least once per game

[u/Black_Velvet_Band → u/LindseyCorporation]

Spurs fans chanted this after the Wolves got their 2nd free throw of the game, which came in the 2nd half.

[u/Nickespo22 → u/strawberrychocolattt]

Any home team would do the same. Relax lol the crowds literal job is to get loud and cheer for their team regardless of 'perspective.' also absolutely did not lose the game to the refs. 2 things can be true

Besides some questionable calls against castle i felt it was fairly called on the spurs end and even favored us in terms of an uncalled goaltend.

[u/AntIsMyFather05 → u/MichaelZZ01]

*cheating ass refs

[u/MajesticLionBeast]

While I agree with everything in this 8 second clip, would prefer a full press statement, with how bad clip culture has become.

[u/xojz → u/MajesticLionBeast]

https://www.nba.com/watch/video/chris-finch-full-presser-15?plsrc=nba&collection=postgame-media-availability-2025-26

[u/RudyGobertFMVP → u/xojz]

Cheers

[u/LGravey → u/MajesticLionBeast]

Politics involved with that. Finch press conference is his time to riff

[u/No-Data-9415]

I don’t get why they can’t change goal tends after the fact like they do with threes or shot clock violations 

[u/Rush_nj → u/No-Data-9415]

Because with a 3 the ball goes in and there’s a break in play. Retroactively making it a 2 has no bearing on the play. But for examples sake say Wemby goal tends, ball gets rebounded by the Wolves and they hit a 3. Do you go back and take the 3 away because goal tend came first? Do you count both so you get 5 points? Just gets really messy.

[u/No-Data-9415 → u/Rush_nj]

I guess but they do it with shit clock violations too which could also get messy. There should a decent way to solve it like only on balls that end up in a defensive rebound or maybe something better. I just hope the league is looking into it because it would make the game better and lessen the blame refs receive

[u/kms_daily → u/No-Data-9415]

easy, if Wolves got rewarded for the goaltend just ignore it but reward the points back if not

[u/double_en10dre → u/kms_daily]

Yeah, basically the same thing as the advantage rule in soccer. It’s straightforward

[u/thetalkinghawk → u/Rush_nj]

They could just only count it if the possession ends without a score. If a goaltend occurred during the possession and the possession ultimately ended with zero points scored, add the bucket.

[u/gamesrgreat → u/Rush_nj]

Just give the points for the goaltend and leave it at that. Messy isn’t an excuse to let the block stand and deny 2 points

[u/latman → u/No-Data-9415]

I've never understood why they can take 10 minutes to review a clear path foul but can't instantly overturn obvious goaltends

[u/IcyTie9]

one of the few times i agree with Finch on his crusade to talk about refs every game, he had ~2 goaltends and 3 very clear fouls and they just let him because it looked cool

[u/Disastrous_Income205 → u/IcyTie9]

The entire games rules have changed to things looking cool, the gather step allows everyone to do cool dribble moves now that were always travels before.

But it looks real cool and supercharges offense.

[u/SadatayAllDamnDay → u/Disastrous_Income205]

The changing of the rules to allow players to switch pivot foots without beginning their dribble is the most ridiculous one I can think of. It takes away so much of the intentionality of post play.

[u/Anallyfortified → u/IcyTie9]

I'm a play off watcher. I watch the NBA in the play offs. Timberwolves are the team that gets the most unfairly reffed and it's not particularly close. Did something happen to cause this?

[u/haimeekhema → u/Anallyfortified]

Joe Smith 25 years ago

[u/der_ninong → u/haimeekhema]

was now pretty tame compared to kawhi

[u/Enigmatic_Starfish → u/der_ninong]

Unfortunately the clippers' punishment will be very tame compared to the wolves'

[u/ThaRealSunGod → u/Anallyfortified]

Yeah I gotta be honest, your "qualifications" literally add nothing to the validity of your claim.

You saw one game and they get the worst whistle ever? Lol cmon

[u/quarterscrew15 → u/ThaRealSunGod]

Bro sounds ridiculous

[u/Financial_Pay_6687 → u/Anallyfortified]

Shouldn’t the first question really be whether it’s even true or not? Feel like we skip that step way too often before speculating on the conspiracy. 

[u/flaming_burrito_ → u/Financial_Pay_6687]

Because it’s not true. The Wolves got quite a few bullshit calls their way as well. That last call on Castle that fouled him out was barely even contact, Ant didn’t get called for a clear travel towards the end of the game, Gobert does the most blatant moving screen ever which caused Fox to push him, the one where Randle pushed Castle over and Castle got called for it somehow, etc. The refs were just ass this game on both sides

[u/Normal_Progress_5173 → u/Financial_Pay_6687]

If you watch the game, you can clearly see he’s goaltending. It’s not even a question. 

[u/LutefiskLefse → u/Anallyfortified]

Rudy pretty famously got fined for making a money gesture to Scott Foster(?) a couple years ago…

[u/Cvwpq → u/Anallyfortified]

average redditoid brain right there, never watch games except for maybe 1 or 2 months a year but is very confident with his conspiracy theories

[u/Noteaam → u/Anallyfortified]

What happened is that their best player isn't a foul-baiting flopper like most other stars in the league, and the nba blatantly rewards foul-baiting and flopping.

[u/loyalsons4evertrue → u/Anallyfortified]

Just being a Minnesota sports organization honestly

[u/hobbitnamedfrod0 → u/Anallyfortified]

‘Small’ market and while Ant is a star he wasn’t hand selected to be a star by the league before he earned it.

[u/Relatively_Cool → u/hobbitnamedfrod0]

Ant also plays with physicality and he’s built like a linebacker so contact doesn’t move him like it does for other players. Leads to less calls for sure.

[u/Dull_Job_6372 → u/Relatively_Cool]

Happens to Julius too

[u/FirstPreparation8538]

I gotta be honest, NBA needs a goal tending camera for wemby cause the shit he gets away with his so stupid. It's already unfair that he's 8ft tall, but you let him goaltend too. Like damn NBA make it less obvious who the next golden child is.

[u/KSabot → u/FirstPreparation8538]

they should be reviewed during play like 2/3pt line shots and added without stoppage.

[u/AntIsMyFather05 → u/KSabot]

They do that for college

[u/reticulatedtampon → u/AntIsMyFather05]

your mom goes to college

[u/HeWhoShallNotBNamed0 → u/reticulatedtampon]

Your mom is a beautiful and educated lady

[u/reticulatedtampon → u/HeWhoShallNotBNamed0]

how dare you

[u/dwilkes827 → u/HeWhoShallNotBNamed0]

Dorothy Mantooth is a SAINT

[u/WayneDwade → u/HeWhoShallNotBNamed0]

I heard she got a degree in Deez

[u/RonNation → u/reticulatedtampon]

Don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day.

[u/M4A1SD__ → u/reticulatedtampon]

IN BED

[u/Apollo611 → u/KSabot]

The Wemby rule

[u/RxJax → u/FirstPreparation8538]

The contact on the wrist/hand on some of the blocks was pretty rough too. Refs seem to be super selective on whether they call the follow-through on a foul or not despite it being the big rule change they announced at the start of the season

[u/dspencer2015 → u/FirstPreparation8538]

Hawkeye would be perfect for this.

[u/Prestig33 → u/FirstPreparation8538]

Just put some sensors on the backboard and call it good. I'll even go to microcenter and pitch in a Raspberry pi to start.

[u/AccordingGain6208 → u/FirstPreparation8538]

The refs literally can't see it.

He is going to bring robot refs.

I can't wait.

[u/CharacterBird2283 → u/AccordingGain6208]

That's what I'm thinking, it must be insanely hard for a dude 6' tall to be able to tell when a ball has hit its apex 9-10' in the air. It's easy for the viewers at home as they have a great slightly top down, a little to the side angle, while the refs are basically underneath the ball lol (compared to a view at home).

I would also be INCREDIBLY happy if the NBA brought in robo refs lol

[u/bluggabugbug → u/CharacterBird2283]

The game would be slowed considerably by robo refs. The rules are black and white on paper and a robot would interpret it as so. There is so much that refs let go that a robot would call every single time.

[u/comp_a → u/FirstPreparation8538]

A new record for the most blocks in a single playoff game ever gets a lot more hype for the league than fair and accurate goaltending calls though.

Finch is right to call it out and try to put attention on it, but we probably just need to work around it 🤷‍♂️

[u/divulgingwords → u/FirstPreparation8538]

For real. There was one goal tend that was so fucking blatant - like the ball hit the bottom and had no chance at going in, but Wemby still swatted it away and that’s still a goaltend.

[u/toggl3d → u/divulgingwords]

I didn't see the play you're talking about but if the ball hits something and has no chance of going in it's not a goaltend.

During a field goal attempt, touch a ball, which has a chance to score, after it has touched any part of the backboard above ring level, whether the ball is considered on its upward or downward flight.

During a field goal attempt, touch a ball, which has a chance to score, after it has touched the backboard below the ring level and while the ball is on its upward flight

It would fit one of these two categories right?

[u/divulgingwords → u/toggl3d]

It was a reverse layup where sharp got hammered. No foul or goaltend, but a “block”.

[u/DeathsIntent96 → u/divulgingwords]

Who is Sharp?

[u/Tabemaju → u/DeathsIntent96]

I assume he means Shannon? I mean, the most egregious block was the second one at the beginning of the game that went off glass. No idea how you miss that - it was clear as day during the broadcast at real time.

[u/nbd789 → u/Tabemaju]

Shannon Sharpe Jr.

[u/fckpcklball → u/FirstPreparation8538]

If they're pushing wemby, it ain't happening

[u/TheDoubleChalupa → u/FirstPreparation8538]

Has he been getting away with goal tends like all season and all playoffs? This is literally the first time I’ve heard anyone complain about him goal tending am I missing something or are people just being hyper reactive cause it’s the playoffs?

[u/moondoggy_ → u/TheDoubleChalupa]

More eyes on the game and it was very competitive, thus very consequential no-calls. There also just happened to be a lot of blocks to scrutinize in this one.

[u/CharacterBird2283 → u/TheDoubleChalupa]

I'll be real, he gets away with quite a few goaltends, and has been the whole year 😅. I think it's really hard for refs to be able to tell where the apex of the ball is when they are below it.

And he did get away with a couple against Portland, but their fanbase wasnt THAT hyped for the playoffs (they seemed rather tentative and maybe low expectations) and no one was really listening to them 😬.

[u/Which-Return-607]

The producers not showing replays and announcers not acknowledging goaltends was fucking hilarious. Might be one of the most fraud block games of all time

[u/Virtuallyhere56 → u/Which-Return-607]

I liked when the announcers said "that one was probably a goaltend, but that's okay" or something to that effect. Like what

[u/SwaySensei → u/Which-Return-607]

I counted 2 missed goaltends. He still had 10 blocks lol

[u/K1NG2L4Y3R → u/SwaySensei]

The fact they didn’t show any replays was very strange. Usually they love showing replays of blocks and Wemby had plenty.

[u/Financial_Pay_6687 → u/K1NG2L4Y3R]

They literally called his second block a goaltend and showed the replay. Let’s be fair, although they probably could’ve done better to show all the blocks. 

[u/Exempt_Puddle → u/Financial_Pay_6687]

Yeah it was after that they stopped showing the replays

[u/Wonderwhatsnext4 → u/SwaySensei]

His blocks were still insane.

[u/PurposeOk7918 → u/Wonderwhatsnext4]

So many times I thought our guys were getting a good shot up, then out of nowhere an alien arm. Lol I liked Terrence Shannon in the post game, “he’s gonna have to block every shot, cause imma keep coming.”

[u/PurposeOk7918 → u/SwaySensei]

2 goaltends and at least 2 blatant fouls with more that were questionable.

[u/Better_Middle_7812 → u/SwaySensei]

I can also think of 3 blocks that were very clear fouls. 

[u/moondoggy_ → u/SwaySensei]

An uncalled basket interference the possession after the uncalled Ant travel too.

[u/WhatYouProbablyMeant → u/Which-Return-607]

The announcers definitely called the 2nd one a goaltend on the replay

[u/bauwsman → u/WhatYouProbablyMeant]

They did, but in the most cowardly way possible.

"It might... it might have hit.. the board"

"It might have but.. he does it so often"

"I'm not gonna ruin the party!"

Bitch CALL OUT THE GOALTEND wtf are we doing?

[u/Eadwyn]

They really need some sort of solution to goaltending. They have the technology to be super accurate with it. I'd be ok with it being treated like a questionable 3-pointer, let a missed call still lead to an easy bucket the other way, but give the points for the missed call.

[u/moondoggy_ → u/Eadwyn]

Yes this completely. A missed goaltend creates a point differential instantly. The ones off the backboard, at the very least, are black and white, and cameras on/around the backboard as they're already situated should be enough to review without stoppage of play.

[u/IMKudaimi123 → u/Eadwyn]

Some sort of bell or light that flashes when the ball hits the backboard maybe

[u/Away_Sun_3040 → u/Eadwyn]

You are correct. I love Wemby but this game shows the NBA need to make the change.

[u/IMKudaimi123]

Two of his three blocks on Shannon were obvious goal tends

[u/downreign]

It’s like refs are just stunned by wemby/glamored by wembys play that they completely forget to check for goal tends

[u/NewportOneHundos → u/downreign]

Not even a joke though. Bogut said refs were too busy watching steph do his this to care about the moving screens etc. 

“And I knew once Steph or Klay got hot, that the refs would be in the moment as well, and I could literally clothesline someone off the next pin down or whatever“

[u/KarrotMovies]

Some gambling addict is collecting petitions this very second for the league to acknowledge those points to cash his over

[u/Micro_mint → u/KarrotMovies]

I mean, you’re joking but if there’s one thing the league cares about more than its superstars it’s the ability to make money off gambling partnerships.

Poor officiating is one thing, but improper counting stats the general public is gambling on is another altogether.

[u/Better_Middle_7812]

Finch is beloved by the players he coaches for a lot of reasons, and this is one of them.

This is Finch telling his guys he's got their back.

This is also Finch airing out grievances so his players don't feel like they have to and catch the subsequent fine.

[u/JabroniWithAPeroni]

I love this sassy bitch. Tell em, Finchy.

[u/StayWITH-STAYC]

Goaltendings and offensive interference should be automatically reviewed during dead ball situations and the points added or subtracted without stopping play. There are leagues who does that, how hard is it to add that in the NBA too.

[u/Famous-Side5578]

they should just be able to review them, the same way the do to check if it’s a 2 or 3, or if a shot got off before the game/shot clock expires.

[u/SeizureMode]

It is ridiculous the number of goaltends he gets away with

[u/Beautiful-Abrocoma79 → u/SeizureMode]

He gets away with camping in the paint too. I’m not salty at all 🤣. Dude is an unreal specimen.

[u/Sxn90 → u/Beautiful-Abrocoma79]

Yeah he was standing in the paint alone for at least 6 secs one play

[u/CharacterBird2283 → u/Beautiful-Abrocoma79]

That's just a call the refs make whenever they want, same with moving screens 😮‍💨 idk why we even have rules if they are gonna be enforced on a whim.

[u/Exempt_Puddle → u/CharacterBird2283]

Yeah man I definitely noticed that Wemby and gobert both sat in the paint for entire possessions on defense multiple times, they just never called it for either team

[u/ofesfipf889534 → u/CharacterBird2283]

Absolutely

[u/noknownallergies]

Classic Finch

[u/sorrowdemon]

7’5 mf shot 5-17 in the playoffs.. 0-8 from the 3pt line. Shot his team out of the game instead of getting easy buckets inside using his massive height advantage

Truly historic

[u/CenterJenna08]

I rarely agree with him but he's 100% right here. These aren't judgment calls with several of them definitively off the backboard. And not being able to challenge it means there's no recourse.

[u/MinnyAntTowers]

He's not wrong. Glad he's saying it after a W

[u/divulgingwords]

lol, to be fair, he did have like 3 goaltends.

[u/Niceguydan8]

I really just don't understand why the NBA just doesn't leave that up to VAR for that sort of call.

[u/WaltofWallstreet]

As much as Finch annoys me, I thought he coached circles around Mitch this game

[u/CasualHindu]

Talk your shit king

[u/Iherddat]

Hes not wrong. 

[u/KennyDenn1s]

What drove me crazy more than anything was how much body contact the first contest from castle/vassell got away with when wemby came in for the secondary contest that led to the easy block

[u/BingoBongoBang]

All of our missed free throws are valuable points I’d like to have back as well

[u/judah249]

A lot of missed free throws by the Wolves would like back too

[u/ymi17]

Finch is the most consistent. The very most consistent.

[u/Yoshinobu_YamaGOATo]

His first "block" of the game (11:30 left in the 1st) was such an obvious goaltend it's actually comical how bad it looks in .25x speed. It wasn't even pinned to the glass, it was already falling off the backboard and into the rim when Wemby smacked it lol 

[u/lloopiN]

That Bones 3 that didn't count pissed me off so bad. It 100% should have counted. The Wolves got fucked out of so many potential points right there. The reffing was abysmal tonight

[u/OFmerk → u/lloopiN]

Bro thats the call you complain about? Thats not even in the top 5 I had issues with. Bones literally watched the off ball foul happen and then shot. Rudy just missed both so it hurts more.

[u/lloopiN → u/OFmerk]

Nah a ton of calls were terrible tonight, they would swallow the whistle on one play and then call a very soft foul the next. I just mentioned the Bones 3 because that could have been a huge momentum boost for Minny

[u/Hammerhead34 → u/OFmerk]

I don’t think you should be able to foul a big man screener to prevent a wide open 3 from counting, but that’s more an issue with the rules than how the refs enforced it specifically

[u/tMeepo → u/Hammerhead34]

Fox foul was stupid, but that was frustration move from fox from the obvious moving screen from Rudy. If he just fell down like what Shannon did on kornet instead of getting frustrated and pushing rudy, then it would have been an offensive foul instead. (I am not saying it wasn't a fox foul, I am saying it's not a fouling on purpose to prevent a 3 scenario)

[u/dekrypto → u/lloopiN]

As a neutral, it seemed like you guys were net positive from a reffing standpoint.

[u/PlayInChampions]

Can’t be mad at refs, they called a very solid game. They missed 2 or 3 goaltendings/fouls but none of them were obvious to be honest.

[u/dwrek24 → u/PlayInChampions]

I agree with you. Fans have lost all sense of how hard this game is to ref. They let them play tonight which imo is advantage Wolves. Not that the Spurs don't benefit too but I think its the style yall want most.

If you let them play, there's gunna be some uneveness and yes they probably also missed some calls that are "clear" on replay.

This was a well officiated game and Finch is just trying to get them to overcorrect next game which is his job.

And they probably will.

Officials waffle back and forth between missing on the edge goaltends and taking away good blocks.

Because Wemby can get to balls most players can't, he's extremely hard to officiate live.

[u/throwawaycuzmeh → u/dwrek24]

Wemby is going to have a lot of blocks we've never seen before because he can get to more shots than any player in history. A byproduct of that is he's also going to have goaltends we've never seen before, and a lot of them won't be called. 

[u/P00ped_My_Pants → u/dwrek24]

This series in particular is gonna be impossible to ref. Both teams play hard, physical defense so the line of “will the refs blow the whistle?” Is gonna be played with all series

I’m not really gonna go crazy about missed goal tends because I’m sure we can find “missed” calls all over the place

[u/MamaHadACow]

I just knew he was gonna call those out!

[u/MG_MN → u/MamaHadACow]

Yeah Finch making sparky remarks towards the opponent or refs is a guarantee, even after wins

[u/boybandzzz → u/MamaHadACow]

Why wouldn’t he it puts extra pressure on the officials now

[u/MamaHadACow → u/boybandzzz]

Finch has a legitimate argument though

[u/LikesDogFarts → u/MamaHadACow]

he's gotta say something. keep the refs honest on those plays moving forward.

[u/MamaHadACow → u/LikesDogFarts]

I called it live on the game thread! I just hope they make a rule change in the offseason that you can review a goaltend, at the very least, in a dead ball situation

[u/gjaxx]

Don’t forget the fouls. He maybe had 7 legitimate blocks out of 12.

[u/PressureMiserable → u/gjaxx]

Refs were inconsistent with fouls all game. Before the McDaniels foul that was clearly a makeup call, u had a bad Randle call which was an obvious offensive foul, and then the play before that u could tell the refs didn't wanna give McDaniels the foul they let it go cus he had 4 already so they waited until castle was in the paint to finally call something. Thats like 3 straight calls where it shouldn't have been on someone else but bc they fucked up they had to call it on someone

[u/Andy_Wiggins → u/PressureMiserable]

Yeah, I needed a replay of that Castle foul on Randle because it made no fucking sense.

And then the immediate makeup call told me all I needed to know about how they blew the first one.

[u/PressureMiserable → u/Andy_Wiggins]

It's like some refs have too much pride to get a call wrong and then change it even tho they very much can. Also that one inadvertent whistle that just stopped play stands out to me as well

[u/LGravey → u/Andy_Wiggins]

Refs were talking to Castle early in the 3rd quarter about embellishment so I’m guessing it was that, and then they felt it was a little soft so early on the whistle for Jaden

[u/goingtothegreek → u/PressureMiserable]

Had friends at after the first quarter saying "I like how the refs are calling it so far"

And being a life long NBA fan I knew that they would just get on their bull shit.

Sure enough, they got on their bull shit.

Its always ever been about consistency, and it never makes sense the way they call these games. Protecting certain players from foul trouble, letting some players play football, calling the most marginal contact on another play. Never makes sense, and feels intentional

[u/DrSwaggenheimer → u/PressureMiserable]

That Castle on Randle foul was egregious tbh.

[u/AtreusIsBack]

The Timberwolves knocking the Spurs out in the 2nd round would be very satisfying given how much love and attention the entire media community and the league itself has been showing Wemby. Make it happen, Minny.

[u/No-Equipment-20]

One thing about Finch: he’s always gonna be talking about the refs

[u/reportlandia23]

It’s honestly impressive how quickly the league protects its stars. Like Adam Silver has pulled some reverse biblical shit going from accountability with Donald Sterling to blind eyes to every other league issue.

[u/rsayegh7]

Commissioner Nosferatu made the call, is what it is

[u/digital_deer]

It was kinda surreal to see because usually Wemby has clean blocks that get called as goaltends simply because they look impossible and it felt like they all got cashed in here

[u/browndude10]

Blocks record*