The Timberwolves are heading to the playoffs. But rewind just two months, and they looked like a group headed for splinters—not seeding. According to head coach Chris Finch, Minnesota was teetering toward a massive shakeup. The kind that costs people their jobs. The kind that sends stars packing. But it didn’t happen. And Finch says that’s because the guys in the locker room—especially Anthony Edwards.
“Super proud of their body of work this year,” Finch said postgame. “We didn’t make a big trade. We didn’t fire coaches. They figured it out themselves.”
Minnesota’s 116–105 win on the final night of the regular season against Utah sealed their sixth-place finish in the West. Dante DiVincenzo and Naz Reid stepped up big. Edwards, meanwhile, did what he always does—lead by example. But behind that calm confidence is a storm the Timberwolves avoided.
What Could’ve Happened… Didn’t
Let’s rewind. Midseason, the Wolves looked lost. Players weren’t communicating. Defensive effort dipped. After blowing a winnable game to the Kings, Coach Finch didn’t sugarcoat it: “It starts with the top guys.” Edwards doubled down, calling the team “soft as hell” and saying guys were “playing with their own agendas.” The vibes? Bad. Fans booed. Mike Conley spoke up about negativity in the locker room. Julius Randle, after facing the Wolves, even questioned their professionalism.
Then came the Bucks collapse—Minnesota blew a 24-point lead and Edwards fell apart in the fourth. He later said: “Mental mistakes that I shouldn’t be making with five years of experience in the league. I’ve got to be better.” Behind the scenes? Players were being cussed out at halftime. Edwards confirmed: “All of them.”
It felt like the floor was creaking.
Then came the whispers—maybe this wasn’t fixable. A big trade? That might’ve meant moving on from someone like Rudy Gobert or reshuffling the core. A coaching change? Risking a total system reset. Around the league, Denver had already moved on from Michael Malone. Dallas shook the house by shipping out Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis midseason. Finch didn’t name names, but the jab was unmistakable.
“They (the guys on the team) made the right adjustments, the necessary sacrifices, and really figured out who they needed to be as a team,” he said. “There’s still a lot ahead of us, but full credit to those guys in that locker room. It mattered to them. They wanted to figure it out—and they did.”
That fixing? It started with Ant.
The Anthony Edwards effect: How leadership replaced panic moves
While the Wolves were fraying, Anthony Edwards was evolving. On the court, he tightened his handle, improved from deep, and became more of a playmaker. Off it, he embraced the uncomfortable parts of leadership like honesty, vulnerability, and accountability.
One turning point? That postgame mic drop after the Kings loss: “We soft as hell.” That wasn’t finger-pointing. That was a challenge—and a mirror. As the weeks went on, Finch trusted him more. When the coach was ejected in March, it was Edwards who physically stepped in to calm the situation. In the locker room, players-only meetings happened. The team’s group chat wasn’t just memes anymore—it became a space for ownership and course correction.
Jan 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch talks with guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, Edwards was dealing with public pressure. He was suspended earlier this season for his 16th technical. Memphis fans heckled him with “child support” chants. His response? 44 points in a win over the Grizzlies. And when the league rescinded his 18th tech just days later, it wasn’t just a ruling—it felt like a greenlight.
And the on-court results reflected it. The Wolves rattled off a 7-game win streak, climbed out of the play-in mess, and finished with a top-5 net rating during that stretch. Edwards averaged over 27 points while keeping the ball moving and the energy up.
He wasn’t just scoring—he was setting the tone. So, what now?
The Wolves now face LeBron and the Lakers in the first round. It’s a tough draw, but the real battle might’ve already happened—months ago, inside their own locker room. Edwards enters this series not just as Minnesota’s best player, but as the face of a team that could’ve broken and didn’t. His growth changed their ceiling.
If the Timberwolves make a deep run, Finch’s comments might become prophetic—not just about basketball, but about belief. Sometimes, leadership grows from within. That not every mess needs a trade machine.
And maybe the biggest moves? Are the ones you don’t make. Well, stay tuned. We’ll keep you posted.
The post Anthony Edwards & Co. Stopped Timberwolves From Making Massive Decision to Fix Locker Room Troubles, Claims Chris Finch appeared first on EssentiallySports.
