A long time ago, in a playoffs far, far away, the underdog Minnesota Timberwolves were facing elimination against the Memphis Grizzlies. They were letting yet another lead slip away in Game 6 of that 2022 first-round series, causing coach Chris Finch to do something drastic.
He benched starting point guard D’Angelo Russell, one of the highest-profile players on the roster, in the fourth quarter for Jordan McLaughlin, an act of desperation as the Wolves’ season was slipping away. The move was not enough to jumpstart the Wolves, who saw their season end.
Four years later, the Timberwolves are right on the brink again, and Finch may have to think of making another dramatic change to hold off Victor Wembanyama and the relentless San Antonio Spurs. The Wolves fell, 126-97, in Game 5 on Tuesday night, putting the Spurs ahead 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinal series.
So many things went wrong for Minnesota, including a lack of attention to the game plan. First and foremost, though, was another putrid start to the game, which has been a recurring issue in this series. The Wolves trailed by 15 points before the first quarter was halfway over, digging themselves another huge hole. As they prepare for a do-or-die Game 6 at Target Center on Friday night, the starting lineup’s poor performance leads one to wonder if something has to give.