The Minnesota Timberwolves will face the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs with an unexpected setback as head coach Chris Finch will be sidelined due to knee surgery. Finch suffered a ruptured right patellar tendon during a collision with Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley, requiring surgery to repair the injury.
The surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, leaving Finch with only three days of recovery before Game 1 against Denver. Typically, this type of procedure necessitates a longer period of leg immobilization, and Finch will also require the use of crutches during his recovery. Given the constraints of the NBA sideline, it is unlikely that Finch will be able to be present on the bench at the start of the series.
