The official fire Chris Finch thread

younggunsmn · Post #101 » by **younggunsmn** » Thu Jan 30, 2025 11:17 pm

Major shout out to Chris Finch for finally giving the team the deep asschewing it deserved and then intentionally getting himself thrown out of the Phoenix game when his team was playing like garbage.

If they can start to duplicate what we saw in the second half (minus those awful last 3 minutes) we might have a chance to actually win a playoff series this year.

I don't ever think I've seen Julius effort give that much effort on the defensive side of the ball, actually playing off ball defense and trying to anticipate passes and cuts.
Ant was still super sloppy and unbelievably whiny with the refs but the rest of the team bought in.

Post #102 » by **Klomp** » Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:03 pm

Read on Twitter

TimberKat · Post #103 » by **TimberKat** » Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:13 pm

Klomp wrote:

Read on Twitter

I have no insight but it's hard to believe it's a A staff. I can see B or B+

Loaf_of_bread · Post #104 » by **Loaf_of_bread** » Tue Feb 4, 2025 3:44 am

"Cultivating a culture where athletes grow in mind, body, & spirit"

Yes, elite leadership. Elite spirit growth has been evident.

ILC · Post #105 » by **ILC** » Tue Feb 4, 2025 8:00 am

Ofc it has. Are we going to deny how much Ant, Jaden, Naz, NAW etc. have grown? How well he's handled very awkward fits Tim gave him with KAT/Rudy and then Randle/Rudy?

You fire Finch if you have an absolute top of the line coach become available, which you don't right now, that's it.

Loaf_of_bread · Post #106 » by **Loaf_of_bread** » Sat Mar 1, 2025 4:50 am

May be too late for a coaching change this year, but what a disaster..

Personally sick of Finch's excuses.

Baseline81 · Post #107 » by **Baseline81** » Sat Mar 1, 2025 4:57 am

Loaf_of_bread wrote:May be too late for a coaching change this year, but what a disaster..

Personally sick of Finch's excuses.

The problem is when fans have been fed crap (likes of Kurt Rambis and Ryan Saunders) anything looks better. Finch, IMO, is a classic bridge coach -- can only take this team so far.

Loaf_of_bread · Post #108 » by **Loaf_of_bread** » Sat Mar 1, 2025 5:05 am

Baseline81 wrote:
Loaf_of_bread wrote:May be too late for a coaching change this year, but what a disaster..

Personally sick of Finch's excuses.

The problem is when fans have been fed crap (likes of Kurt Rambis and Ryan Saunders) anything looks better. Finch, IMO, is a classic bridge coach -- can only take this team so far.

Our success last year was mike Conley. He doesn't feel like doing Finch’s job anymore, rightfully so.

Post #109 » by **Klomp** » Sat Mar 1, 2025 6:13 am

Baseline81 wrote:Finch, IMO, is a classic bridge coach -- can only take this team so far.

I would agree. The question management needs to answer is how long of a bridge is it - is it the Stone Arch Bridge in MN or is it the Seven Mile Bridge in FL?

TimberKat · Post #110 » by **TimberKat** » Sun Mar 2, 2025 12:26 am

Klomp wrote:
Baseline81 wrote:Finch, IMO, is a classic bridge coach -- can only take this team so far.

I would agree. The question management needs to answer is how long of a bridge is it - is it the Stone Arch Bridge in MN or is it the Seven Mile Bridge in FL?

We want it to be Stone Arch but Wolves management is treating it as Seven miles bridge that goes nowhere.

Loaf_of_bread · Post #111 » by **Loaf_of_bread** » Sun Mar 2, 2025 9:21 pm

ILC wrote:Ofc it has. Are we going to deny how much Ant, Jaden, Naz, NAW etc. have grown? How well he's handled very awkward fits Tim gave him with KAT/Rudy and then Randle/Rudy?

You fire Finch if you have an absolute top of the line coach become available, which you don't right now, that's it.

I find this take as an oxymoron. So, all those guys you state have "grown" under Finch’s tutelage, yet we cannot win games.

TimberKat · Post #112 » by **TimberKat** » Sun Mar 2, 2025 11:53 pm

Loaf_of_bread wrote:
ILC wrote:Ofc it has. Are we going to deny how much Ant, Jaden, Naz, NAW etc. have grown? How well he's handled very awkward fits Tim gave him with KAT/Rudy and then Randle/Rudy?

You fire Finch if you have an absolute top of the line coach become available, which you don't right now, that's it.

I find this take as an oxymoron. So, all those guys you state have "grown" under Finch’s tutelage, yet we cannot win games.

I feel Finch is in the same position as J.B. Bickerstaff was last year with Cavs. JB started the turn around but couldn't take the team further and he is great for DET this year. Can we find a Kenny Atkinson this off season? For Finch's defense, the Towns trade was really bad for him. Gobert trade was fine as he was part of that decision making and had lots of time to adjust. Some of Finches' decision and moves are very questionable.

Loaf_of_bread · Post #113 » by **Loaf_of_bread** » Mon Mar 3, 2025 1:33 am

TimberKat wrote:
Loaf_of_bread wrote:
ILC wrote:Ofc it has. Are we going to deny how much Ant, Jaden, Naz, NAW etc. have grown? How well he's handled very awkward fits Tim gave him with KAT/Rudy and then Randle/Rudy?

You fire Finch if you have an absolute top of the line coach become available, which you don't right now, that's it.

I find this take as an oxymoron. So, all those guys you state have "grown" under Finch’s tutelage, yet we cannot win games.

I feel Finch is in the same position as J.B. Bickerstaff was last year with Cavs. JB started the turn around but couldn't take the team further and he is great for DET this year. Can we find a Kenny Atkinson this off season? For Finch's defense, the Towns trade was really bad for him. Gobert trade was fine as he was part of that decision making and had lots of time to adjust. Some of Finches' decision and moves are very questionable.

At the end of the day, before I thought a coaching change with 20 something games left seemed as a "we give up this year".. I'm not 100 percent how I feel, but maybe a coaching change/culture shift is all we've got for one last go at some sort of relevance..

winforlose · Post #114 » by **winforlose** » Mon Mar 3, 2025 1:59 am

TimberKat wrote:
Loaf_of_bread wrote:
ILC wrote:Ofc it has. Are we going to deny how much Ant, Jaden, Naz, NAW etc. have grown? How well he's handled very awkward fits Tim gave him with KAT/Rudy and then Randle/Rudy?

You fire Finch if you have an absolute top of the line coach become available, which you don't right now, that's it.

I find this take as an oxymoron. So, all those guys you state have "grown" under Finch’s tutelage, yet we cannot win games.

I feel Finch is in the same position as J.B. Bickerstaff was last year with Cavs. JB started the turn around but couldn't take the team further and he is great for DET this year. Can we find a Kenny Atkinson this off season? For Finch's defense, the Towns trade was really bad for him. Gobert trade was fine as he was part of that decision making and had lots of time to adjust. Some of Finches' decision and moves are very questionable.

Growth is inevitable. They come in young and having never played at the NBA level. The question regarding development is how they manage to improve on weaknesses and to develop the key skills that are missing from their game. Jaden rebounding is a great example. It took 5 years, but now Jaden is grabbing 4-5 boards a game at SF and 9-10 at PF. Ant has developed his 3 point shot, but has not developed his playmaking to the degree you would expect five years in. More than playmaking Ant’s judgment and ability to read defenses and understand the right play is also lagging expectations. Overall Finch has had some great players to develop, but doesn’t always make the right choices with them. Case in point, trying to remove Naz from the rotation following the Rudy trade.

minimus · Post #115 » by **minimus** » Wed Mar 12, 2025 11:58 am

Read on Twitter

I have impression about Finch progress as well. He struggled with in-game decisions a lot in his first seasons. But I believe that with more experience he will be more willing and capable to adopt on the fly.

TimberKat · Post #116 » by **TimberKat** » Wed Mar 12, 2025 12:27 pm

minimus wrote:

Read on Twitter

I have impression about Finch progress as well. He struggled with in-game decisions a lot in his first seasons. But I believe that with more experience he will be more willing and capable to adopt on the fly.

He still struggled with in game decisions. I feel his play calling is worse than first year. Timeout management seems to be better lately. Will see what happens the remainder of this year.

minimus · Post #117 » by **minimus** » Wed Mar 12, 2025 1:49 pm

TimberKat wrote:
minimus wrote:

Read on Twitter

I have impression about Finch progress as well. He struggled with in-game decisions a lot in his first seasons. But I believe that with more experience he will be more willing and capable to adopt on the fly.

He still struggled with in game decisions. I feel his play calling is worse than first year. Timeout management seems to be better lately. Will see what happens the remainder of this year.

Does not help when our best inbounder is Joe Ingles and Mike Conley was struggling mightly

shrink · Post #118 » by **shrink** » Fri Mar 14, 2025 10:25 am

Finch deserves credit for solving DEN.
Finch deserves credit for finding ways for Jaylen Clark and TJ Shannon to help, and getting them ready to contribute
Finch deserves credit for reintegrating the injured players seamlessly
Finch deserves credit for finding the way to unlock Julius Randle.

Which does he deserve the most credit for? Which the least?

younggunsmn · Post #119 » by **younggunsmn** » Fri Mar 14, 2025 10:45 am

Finch's great strength and his great weakness is the freedom he gives his players offensively to do what they do best.

Sometimes they make him look like a genius when they buy in and move the ball,
other times they make him look like a clown when they go off game plan and get into hero mode.

The way he has been able to solve a Denver offense no one else in the league has been able to stop has been impressive.

We have been better on average against teams in the West this year than the East and it is a credit to the game planning and coaching adjustments that we have been a little better against teams we see more often.

winforlose · Post #120 » by **winforlose** » Fri Mar 14, 2025 9:30 pm

shrink wrote:Finch deserves credit for solving DEN.
Finch deserves credit for finding ways for Jaylen Clark and TJ Shannon to help, and getting them ready to contribute
Finch deserves credit for reintegrating the injured players seamlessly
Finch deserves credit for finding the way to unlock Julius Randle.

Which does he deserve the most credit for? Which the least?

Finch was given a hugely talented team and lead them to 32-29 post all star break. Yes we won 6 in a row to salvage the season (so far,) but that does not excuse going 32-29. Jaden turning things on in January/February instead of October is also a damning indicator of Finch not knowing how to get the best out of his players. The list is equally long on negatives including not getting the team to play with motivation in first quarters, third quarters, against bad teams, and in crunch time.