The Minnesota Timberwolves are back in the Western Conference Finals after a rollercoaster 2024-25 season. They have been fantastic in the second half of the season after starting slow due to the big roster changes in the offseason.
It has been excellent progress for the Timberwolves, as they went from a supposed lucky Western Conference berth to reaching it in two consecutive years, which can be linked to Chris Finch's excellent coaching.
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch watches as his team plays the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center.
Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Image
The credit will usually go to the Timberwolves players on the court, and they deserve it. However, those players will always show love to their coach, who has been with them every step of the way.
Finch has become the most successful head coach in Timberwolves' postseason history with 20 wins, three more than the legendary Flip Saunders. This proves Finch is doing a magnificent job with the team he started coaching in 2021.
A Challenge From The Start Of The Season
After making the Western Conference Finals in 2024, the expectations were high for the Timberwolves. That changed when they traded for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
Randle, in particular, was unproven in the postseason before this season. He has proven himself now with his standout performance in the 2025 Playoffs.
The Timberwolves are playing extremely well, which is what Finch wanted to see from the jump. They might have had a stumble early on, but he has always had great expectations for this team.
"The challenge we laid down to our guys from Day 1 was quite simple. One question. Were you a Western Conference Finals team, or were you a team that just happened to make the Western Conference Finals? There’s only one way to prove that: go out and do it again," Finch said after eliminating the Golden State Warriors in Game 5.
The Timberwolves' Untapped Potential
The Timberwolves have done a fantastic job in this postseason after cementing themselves at the top of the Western Conference. They will compete against the winner between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets.
While both matchups will be challenging, the Timberwolves have a chance against them. This team is still not at its full potential.
Anthony Edwards is the team's superstar, and at only 23, he is not at his peak yet. However, he can already do something that has never been done before in the Timberwolves' history. That is leading the team to the NBA Finals.
If they continue playing like how they did against the Warriors and Lakers, the Timberwolves could be on their way to the Finals. Finch has ample time to prepare for another series, which could bode well for their potential success.