Timberwolves’ Chris Finch adds spice to series vs. Nuggets with ‘flopping’ quip

Even before the tip-off of Game 2 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on Monday, coaches Chris Finch and David Adelman were already having a psychological war in the media room.

The Nuggets took Game 1, 116-105, to draw first blood in their first-round series in the playoffs.

A few minutes before their rematch, Adelman addressed Finch’s previous remark that Nuggets guard Jamal Murray’s 16 free throws in Game 1 were a “head-scratcher,” as reported by The Denver Post’s Troy Renck.

“It’s the playoffs, everybody politics after the games, but let’s at least list out the 16 free throws and what actually happened,” said Adelman, adding that Murray played “through a lot of physicality.”

#Nuggets coach David Adelman on #Timberwolves coach Chris Finch calling it a “head-scratcher” that Jamal Murray had 16 free throws attempts in Game 1 pic.twitter.com/wRWbkubU4e

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) April 21, 2026

Finch, however, was not buying it. He claimed that the Timberwolves were penalized for playing aggressive defense. He added that maybe his players “should start flopping too,” according to Renck.

“The league is in a place right now where you draw the contact, you spill away, and you get rewarded. Guys who play through that first level of contact and stay with the drive and all that, they tend not to be rewarded,” said Finch.

“I see it every single time. So it’s really hard to defend sometimes, especially now that guys have figured out that if they just lower their shoulder on you and move you out of the way, you get all the advantage.”

#Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said “maybe our guys should start flopping, too.” He feels like defenders clearly at disadvantage when offensive players, like Jamal Murray, initiate contact. He added later “Ant doesn’t flop. … Julius is not a flopper.” #Nuggets pic.twitter.com/mgeo4Y43Dm

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) April 21, 2026

Denver shot 30-of-33 from the free-throw line in Game 1, while Minnesota only went 14-of-19. The Timberwolves were whistled for 25 fouls, eight more than the Nuggets.

It was a tension-filled affair, with Nuggets center Nikola Jokic suffering a bloody nose and several players and Adelman getting called for technical fouls.

If Game 1 was any indication, the rest of the series will be an intense skirmish.

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