In the aftermath of a thrilling Game 1 victory, the Minnesota Timberwolves are already recalibrating their offensive game plan to counter one of the NBA's most unique defensive forces: Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs' towering center swatted away 12 shots on Monday night, but the Wolves still managed to escape San Antonio with a win. Now, head coach Chris Finch is focused on what comes next—playing a "smarter brand of offensive basketball."
Finch, never one to shy away from a strategic jab, hinted after the game that at least four of Wembanyama's blocks should have been called goaltends. While a closer look suggests only one or two were truly questionable, the coach's comments serve a dual purpose: planting a seed with officials and motivating his own team to adjust. "When you see the tape, there's going to be so much stuff on there that we just have to take advantage of," Finch told his players in the locker room.
The key takeaway? The Wolves must stop "dancing" with the ball. During a timeout, Finch urged his squad to make quicker decisions. Stagnation is a recipe for disaster against Wembanyama, who uses his freakish 8-foot wingspan to patrol the paint like a one-man defensive zone. But here's the good news: Minnesota has the personnel to attack. The Spurs' perimeter defense is thin beyond rookie Stephon Castle, and San Antonio lacks the size to match up with Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Terrence Shannon Jr.
Much like their playoff series against Denver, the Wolves can get into the paint at will. The challenge now is what happens once they get there. "Attack like he's not there," McDaniels advised. Shannon Jr. echoed that fearless mindset: "I ain't gonna stop going downhill. He's gonna have to block it every time." That aggression paid off in Game 1—Minnesota scored 52 points in the paint—but they shot just 54% in the restricted area. For context, the league's worst team in that zone, Chicago, shot 63% for the season.
The solution isn't to shy away from contact; it's to be smarter about when and how to finish. Whether it's using shot fakes, finding the open man on the perimeter, or drawing fouls, the Wolves must evolve their approach without losing their edge. As Finch sees it, this series is a chess match—and Minnesota is already thinking two moves ahead.