The Timberwolves' Big Three keeps proving itself, through remarkable regular-season improvement, a comeback play-in victory over the Clippers and Saturday's powerhouse playoff victory over the second-seeded Grizzlies.
Anthony Edwards is becoming a superstar.
Karl-Anthony Towns is fulfilling his long-promised promise.
The other member of the Big Three is acing these tests, as well.
It's not D'Angelo Russell, although he fits in well in Minnesota because he can run the offense and shoot, is friends with Towns and isn't Andrew Wiggins.
It's not Jaden McDaniels, although he might be on the way to stardom. Saturday, he produced 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks and a game-best plus-19 in just 25 minutes. He was essential to the victory.
The third member of the Timberwolves' Big Three doesn't wear shorts to games. It's the coach, Chris Finch.
Being part of a Big Three in the NBA means you are indispensable.
The Wolves might be able to replace Russell with a similar player, maybe even a better player.
McDaniels is vital to their success and has plenty of room for growth, but he has much to prove.
The three people the Wolves can't afford to lose are Edwards, Towns and Finch. Lose one of those three, and a historically woeful franchise would be forced to start over.
This is a message to outgoing billionaire owner Glen Taylor, incoming billionaire owner Mark Lore and awkward selfie-taker Alex Rodriguez: Signing Finch to a lucrative contract extension was the right move, and if he wants another five or 10 years, make it happen. He has a chance to become the best coach in franchise history.
Most coaches have a doghouse. Finch, honoring the State of Hockey, has a warming house.
What is most remarkable about Finch's coaching is that he never seems to lose a player. He will, eventually. Nobody goes undefeated in this or any other NBA venture.
But look at what his honest, personable approach has wrought this season:
— Taurean Prince stunk early this season, and Finch benched him. Prince would return as a better version of himself, without having caused any problems externally, and now is a vital part of a playoff rotation.
— Jordan McLaughlin found himself out of the rotation. He would return as a better and even more efficient version of himself, without having caused any problems externally, and now is an important part of a playoff rotation.
— Josh Okogie, once a starter, is now out of the rotation but has spoken eloquently about handling his demotion with class.
Towns is the latest and most important member of the Bounce Back Bunch.
In the play-in game, he played without poise or intelligence, playing right into the hands of Ty Lue's defense, fouling out and putting his team's season in jeopardy.
Finch didn't turn that into a crisis, and so on Saturday, Towns played like a different human — like the star he is — as the Wolves looked the better team as a seventh seed playing a second seed.
The Wolves don't improve by 23 games, win that play-in game or win Saturday with Tom Thibodeau as coach.
Thibs is a capable coach who wears down everyone around him, whether through personality or playing time. That's why it was so funny when Towns, asked Saturday the last time he played 43 minutes in a regulation game, joked, "Thibs."
Ryan Saunders wouldn't have taken this team this far, although he could develop into that kind of coach in time.
Few coaches in franchise history could have accomplished this. Maybe Flip Saunders, although Flip, skilled at creating open midrange jump shots, would have had to adapt to modern offensive realities. Maybe Dwane Casey, had he been given a chance and the right players. Maybe Rick Adelman, if the Wolves had employed him in his prime.
What's certain is that Finch, Edwards and Towns — two young stars and their ideal coach — give the Wolves a powerhouse core for the foreseeable future.
