Timberwolves sign head coach Chris Finch and coaching staff to contract extensions

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed Head Coach Chris Finch to a multi-year contract extension, while also announcing contract extensions for the team’s coaching staff.

“I am thankful to Glen, Becky and the entire ownership group for their ongoing support and commitment,” said Finch. “It’s been a season that all of us, including our fans can be proud of and I’m grateful that my staff will continue to lead us forward.”

“I am excited that Chris will be leading our team for years to come,” said Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Sachin Gupta. “His leadership both on and off the court is unmatched and was evident by this year’s team success that featured great improvement on both ends of the court. We look forward to the start of the postseason tomorrow night and building towards more success in the future.”

“Chris has done a tremendous job creating stability and consistency for this franchise and building a winning mentality,” said the Minnesota Timberwolves ownership group. “We look forward to supporting him throughout the years while he continues achieving the goals he and his staff have set out for the team.”

Finch wrapped up his second season as the Timberwolves head coach after being hired in February of 2021. His 62 total wins over the last two seasons rank fourth in team history and his .504 winning percentage ranks second behind Flip Saunders’ mark of .521.

This season, Finch and the coaching staff led the Timberwolves to a 46-36 record, the seventh-best record in club history, including a 26-15 record at Target Center and a 32-20 record against the Western Conference, the second time since 2004-05 with 30+ wins against the West. With the 136-130 victory over the Denver Nuggets on April 1, the Wolves finished the season 12-4 against Northwest Division foes, the most division wins by the team since the division was formed in 2004 and just the third time since 2004 winning 10+ division games. Additionally, Minnesota finished the season winning 10 straight games against Northwest division opponents, the most since 2004. The team finished the 2021-22 campaign with 20 road wins for the first time since the 2004-05 season and just the fifth time winning 20+ road games.

Under the staff’s tutelage, this season the Timberwolves led the NBA in points per game (115.9 ppg), the first time in franchise history that the team has led the league in scoring, surpassing the club record of 113.3 ppg in 2019-20. Minnesota additionally led the league in three-pointers made (1,211), ranked seventh in assists (25.6 apg) and tied for sixth in offensive rating (a franchise-high 113.8). On the defensive end, Minnesota led the league in opponent turnovers per game (16.3). Those turnovers led to 19.8 points off turnovers per game, leading the NBA in the category. The Timberwolves forced 1,339 turnovers this season, first in the NBA in the category. The team finished the season tied for third in blocks (5.6 bpg) and tied for third in steals (8.8 spg).

Timberwolves sign center Greg Monroe for remainder of season

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed center Greg Monroe for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Monroe, 31, played three games with Minnesota in December on a 10-day deal during the Wolves’ COVID-19 outbreak that saw eight players miss games. This time, the 6-foot-11-inch Monroe adds his much needed size to the lineup for the final two regular season games and the probable play-in tournament next week.”

Monroe has played in 12 games this season for the Milwaukee Bucks, Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, averaging 5.2 points on 57.1% shooting and 4.7 rebounds per game. His best game of the season came during Minnesota’s 108-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Dec. 27 where he saw his first regular season NBA minutes since Apr. 10, 2019, registering a season-high 11 points, a season-best nine rebounds and a season-high six assists in 25:01 minutes of action off the bench.

The 6-11 center from Georgetown has played in 644 career games (417 starts) with nine different franchises, averaging 13.0 points on 51.4% shooting and 8.2 rebounds. His best season in the NBA came during the 2012-13 season with the Detroit Pistons where he appeared in 81 games (all starts) and averaged career-highs in scoring (16.0 ppg), assists (3.5 apg), steals (1.3 spg) and minutes (33.2 mpg).

Monroe will be available for tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs and will wear uniform #55.

Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley and Bucks guard George Hill fined by NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley has been fined $20,000 and Milwaukee Bucks guard George Hill has been fined $15,000 for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

Following a free throw attempt, Minnesota’s Taurean Prince and Milwaukee’s Serge Ibaka became entangled while jockeying for rebounding position. Beverley entered and escalated the altercation by shoving Ibaka from behind. Hill then continued the altercation by shoving Beverley.

The incident, for which Beverley and Hill each received a technical foul and were ejected, occurred with 2:11 remaining in the first quarter of the Timberwolves’ 138-119 victory over the Bucks on March 19 at Target Center.

Timberwolves beat Bucks for 10th win in last 11 games

The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the NBA’s hottest teams lately. Via the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The luck of the Timberwolves.

Not a phrase you might have heard much the past few years. But when it comes to being lucky and good, lately, the Wolves have been a bit of both.

Which brings us to Saturday’s game with Milwaukee at Target Center, when it was announced before the game that Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a sore right knee. Wolves coach Chris Finch talked about his team having to pivot after devoting a good 80% of its game plan to the the Milwaukee star.

They managed.

Going 22-for-47 on three pointers – nine players hit at least one – and leading from late in the first quarter on, and shooting better than 50%, the Wolves beat the Bucks 138-119. Minnesota (42-30) has now won four straight and 10 of 11.

It was a high-intensity game, one that featured a shoving match, matching technicals and ejections for Patrick Beverley and Milwaukee’s George Hill and, later, matching T’s on Naz Reid and Bobby Portis Jr.

The win keeps the Wolves 7th in the Western conference, far ahead of the 8th-place L.A. Clippers, and just half a game behind the 6th place Denver Nuggets.

Timberwolves beat Trail Blazers by 43 points

The Minnesota Timberwolves enjoyed a 43-point win tonight. Here’s the Star Tribune on it:

Two of the Timberwolves three best players, the injured Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, sat toward the end of the bench Monday night and never bothered to take off their coats.

They probably knew their team wasn’t going to have to sweat this one out. That was the case pretty much from the start as the Wolves downed a severely shorthanded Portland team 124-81.

The Trail Blazers, who were without many players including Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic, were already shorthanded when the teams met Saturday. Then they came into Monday without Anfernee Simons, who scored 38 on Saturday. The Wolves did what they should against a roster better suited for March Madness.

The Wolves didn’t even play particularly well. They shot just 8-for-22 as they built a 31-15 lead after the first quarter. That’s because Portland shot 5-for-25. They didn’t have to focus particularly well, and given their busy schedule of late they could use a night where they could just turn their brains off.

Karl-Anthony Towns made quick work of Portland with 27 points and 13 rebounds while Malik Beasley had 19 as the Wolves won their fifth straight game.

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On the state of the Minnesota Timberwolves

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press on the state of the Minnesota Timberwolves:

It is only natural to look at the Timberwolves’ next five games and think, “Well, there are five wins.”

They play Oklahoma City on Friday, followed by consecutive games against Portland and another game against the Thunder before facing Orlando.

Oklahoma City is 20-42, Orlando is 15-48 and Portland has lost three straight games, all by 30-plus points. It makes sense that a Timberwolves team that has beaten Golden State, Cleveland and Memphis since the all-star break would roll through those teams. But Wednesday served as a reminder that isn’t always the case.

Denver (36-26) is one of the teams Minnesota (34-29) is chasing in the Western Conference. The Nuggets have played very well of late. They were 15-point favorites Wednesday at home against the Thunder but lost by 12 on a night in which Denver’s starters were a combined 1-for-25 shooting from 3-point range.

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Update on mask mandates for Minnesota Timberwolves home games

The Minnesota Timberwolves released the below statement on the City of Minneapolis’ mask mandate:

Beginning with tonight’s game against Memphis, effective immediately, Timberwolves fans attending games at Target Center will not be required to wear a mask while inside the arena. This immediate action follows the City’s lifting of the mask mandate announced this morning.

Timberwolves sign guard Patrick Beverley to contract extension

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Patrick Beverley to a contract extension.

Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Beverley and the team agreed to a one-year extension Monday worth $13 million, his agent Kevin Bradbury confirmed. Beverley, 33, came to the Wolves in the final year of his current deal in a trade from Memphis over the summer. Since Beverley joined, his teammates and coaches have credited him with enhancing the culture on defense while providing leadership in the locker room.”

Beverley, 33, is enjoying a career year in 2021-22, his 10th in the NBA, averaging 9.2 points, his most since 2017-18 (12.2), 4.4 rebounds, a career-high 4.9 assists, a career-best 1.0 blocks and 1.2 steals in 39 games (35 starts). Originally acquired by the Wolves from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade on Aug. 25, 2021, he ranks sixth in the NBA in charges drawn this season (15).

He scored a season-high 20 points, connecting on a season-high 5-of-9 from beyond the arc during Minnesota’s 98-90 win on Jan. 5 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, his 12th career game with five or more three-pointers and his 10th career game registering 20+ points. Beverley has notched two double-doubles this season including tallying his fourth career point/assist double-double, with 11 points and a career-high-tying 12 assists in the Wolves’ 122-104 victory over the LA Clippers on Jan. 3.

For his career, the 6-1 guard has appeared in 507 regular season games (419 starts) with the Houston Rockets, Clippers and Timberwolves, averaging 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Beverley has seen action in 59 career playoff games (48 starts), including 17 games (seven starts) in last season’s playoffs and has averaged 7.9 points on 41.2% shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

The Chicago native is a three-time NBA All-Defensive team selection, including being named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2016-17, his final season with the Rockets. Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 42nd overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Beverley spent three seasons overseas in Greece, Russia and Ukraine. He signed as a free agent with the Rockets ahead of the 2013 season and was traded to the Clippers on June 28, 2017.

Timberwolves will reportedly sign Patrick Beverley to a contract extension

The Timberwolves are reportedly signing guard Patrick Beverley to a contract extension. Via the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

The Timberwolves rewarded the veteran guard with a one-year, $13 million extension agreed to Monday, a source confirmed to the Pioneer Press.

The deal keeps Beverley, who was set to become a free-agent this summer, in Minnesota through the 2022-23 campaign. The extension number is just a tick below Beverley’s $14.3 million cap hit this season.

Timberwolves sign Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed center Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract.

Monroe, 31, played in 12 games (one start) this season for the Capital City Go-Go, the G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards, averaging 10.4 points on 51.6% shooting and 8.8 rebounds per game.

The 6-10 center from Georgetown has played in 632 career games (417 starts) with the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 13.2 points on 51.4% shooting and 8.3 rebounds. His best season in the NBA came during the 2012-13 season with the Pistons where he appeared in 81 games (all starts) and averaged career-highs in scoring (16.0 ppg), assists (3.5 apg), steals (1.3 spg) and minutes (33.2 mpg). In that same year, Monroe tallied his first of two career triple-doubles on Nov. 7, 2012 at Sacramento when he finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He has appeared in 27 playoff games (one start), posting averages of 6.4 points on 48.1% shooting and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Monroe will wear uniform #55.