The Minnesota Timberwolves spent the offseason reshaping more than just the roster.
Chris Finch also lost one of his most trusted voices on the bench, with Micah Nori leaving after five years to become the Portland Trail Blazers’ head coach. Finch described Nori as a key organizer and a sharp tactician, but the coach also made clear that the staff is already adjusting how it handles the game’s most delicate moments.
In a recent four-part interview with Britt Robson of MinnPost, Finch said the late-game duties Nori handled so well will be spread around more now.
"The things where Micah was really good were special situations (end of game, clock management, tracking fouls and timeouts). Obviously Pablo (Prigioni) is going to take some of that.
Nate (Bubes) is going to take some of that," Finch explained. "On late-game stuff, I’ll take some of it back...
I look at it the same as when we lose players: It is hard to replace a player straight-up for who they are. Coaching staff is no different."
That shift matters because Minnesota has spent the last two seasons searching for cleaner clutch-time offense. In 2024-25, the Wolves ranked 23rd in clutch-time net rating and 20th in offensive rating.
This past season, they finished 16th in net rating and 20th in offensive rating. A couple of years ago, Mike Conley helped steady those possessions as the veteran point guard.
More recently, Anthony Edwards was asked to carry the load without that same kind of release valve.
Edwards took a real step forward in clutch situations last season, even as defenses kept leaning on him with doubles and blitzes. He shot 56% from the field in clutch time, up from 42% the season before.
Now Minnesota has its point guard back in the mix, and Finch says he’ll take on more of the late-game responsibility himself. Last season, Donte DiVincenzo often parked high above the break as a pressure release for Edwards, and the setup produced mixed results.
Sometimes it led to a clean look. Other times it pushed Minnesota’s top scorer into a tough, late-clock answer.
Sometimes, Julius Randle would call his own number. The Wolves improved from one season to the next, but the group still has room to grow in those moments.
Edwards led the team with a 42% usage rate in clutch time last season, and most of that came through isolation. That number was more than double the next two players, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Julius Randle.
The idea, though, is not to strip the ball from Edwards when the game is on the line. It’s to make the whole thing less predictable. Finch’s approach now figures to involve LaMelo Ball and Jaden McDaniels more than before, and the reasoning is simple: the old formula was easy to see coming.
Anthony Edwards dribbling. Stepback.
Dribble pickup. Pass.
Get the ball back. Dribble more.
Shot!
That sequence worked plenty during the regular season. It didn’t always hold up. And with Finch saying he wants to be more proactive late in games, Minnesota’s end-of-game offense should have more moving parts this time around.
Edwards will still be central to it. He just may not have to shoulder quite as much of the burden.
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