It’s fun, of course, for fans of the NBA to see some of the intensity stepped up once the playoffs get rolling. Elbows get thrown more frequently, fights for positioning go on a bit longer and the pushing-and-shovingbecomes a working part of the game. That was the case for the Warriors in their opening-round series against the Rockets.
And while Golden State coach Steve Kerr had some complaints about how things were called in that series, he was a player in the 1990s and certainly appreciates physical play. So, it turns out, does Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
What Finch does not like, though, is the same thing that Kerr does not like: Refs simply not calling obvious fouls under the guise of letting games be more physical.
Speaking on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports, Finch had a message for NBA refs as he preps for his series against the Warriors. He is good with physicality, but he wants fouls to be called. Otherwise, he warns, things could get “out of control.”
“To be clear, I think every coach in the NBA would welcome physicality, actually embraces it,” Finch said. “I think we all love physical basketball. I don’t think that’s what Steve or I are saying. I think what we’re saying is, it seems, at times, out of context. And in the context of the first round, where it was actually affecting the basketball that was able to be played.
“And it didn’t feel like, hey, we’re just going to allow you to be more physical. While that certainly was going on, what it felt like is that they just decided to not call some amount of fouls. And that’s different. That’s what leaves players and coaches frustrated. That’s what leads to things getting slightly out of control, if not completely out of control.”
The Warriors and Timberwolves will tip off Game 1 of their conference semifinals series on Tuesday in Minnesapolis.
It’s fun, of course, for fans of the NBA to see some of the intensity stepped up once the playoffs get rolling. Elbows get thrown more frequently, fights for positioning go on a bit longer and the pushing-and-shovingbecomes a working part of the game. That was the case for the Warriors in their opening-round series against the Rockets.
And while Golden State coach Steve Kerr had some complaints about how things were called in that series, he was a player in the 1990s and certainly appreciates physical play. So, it turns out, does Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
What Finch does not like, though, is the same thing that Kerr does not like: Refs simply not calling obvious fouls under the guise of letting games be more physical.
Speaking on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports, Finch had a message for NBA refs as he preps for his series against the Warriors. He is good with physicality, but he wants fouls to be called. Otherwise, he warns, things could get “out of control.”
“To be clear, I think every coach in the NBA would welcome physicality, actually embraces it,” Finch said. “I think we all love physical basketball. I don’t think that’s what Steve or I are saying. I think what we’re saying is, it seems, at times, out of context. And in the context of the first round, where it was actually affecting the basketball that was able to be played.
“And it didn’t feel like, hey, we’re just going to allow you to be more physical. While that certainly was going on, what it felt like is that they just decided to not call some amount of fouls. And that’s different. That’s what leaves players and coaches frustrated. That’s what leads to things getting slightly out of control, if not completely out of control.”
The Warriors and Timberwolves will tip off Game 1 of their conference semifinals series on Tuesday in Minnesapolis.
