When the Minnesota Timberwolves traded for LaMelo Ball, some people wondered how he'd mesh with Chris Finch. While I understood this concern on some level, given Ball's tendency to make daring plays, I respectfully thought much of this noise was from people who didn't really understand Finch's coaching style.
As a fairly older coach who doesn't play young players, Finch has a reputation as somewhat of an old-school coach. In reality, that's not really true, though. Finch's system heavily trusts players. He allows them to work through mistakes and empowers them as decision-makers rather than relying heavily on set plays. LaMelo needs a coach who will let him be himself.
To be clear, there must be some moments of tough love and accountability. Finch's defensive culture is an example of this. Ball can't have a control-freak coach to be at his best, though. Simply put, Finch offers the perfect balance between empowering LaMelo and holding him accountable.
It's early in the season, but Ball and Finch are quickly building a strong coach-player connection, and we've seen how this connection is benefiting the team.
Chris Finch has a ton of trust in LaMelo Ball
The Timberwolves' win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday is a great example of the immense trust Finch has in Ball.
Entering the fourth quarter, LaMelo was struggling, shooting 2-for-7 from the field, and he had six turnovers. However, that didn't cause Finch to deviate from the game plan. He continued to empower LaMelo as a primary decision-maker. Finch's faith paid off, as he exploded, scoring 12 points on 4-for-4 shooting from the field in the fourth quarter, which helped the Wolves secure a 117-107 win. Furthermore, LaMelo and Jonathan Kuminga scored or assisted on 25 of the Wolves' 26 final points.
After the game, Finch praised LaMelo's impact down the stretch.
“He’s just so talented, you put the ball in his hands down the stretch and he just made the right play after the right play after the right play,'' Finch said.
This game is the perfect example of the connection between LaMelo and Finch. I'm not saying most coaches would've benched Ball, after all, he's their best offensive player without Anthony Edwards. Regardless, with how he was playing, many coaches would've taken the ball out of his hands more than Finch did, particularly with how well Ayo Dosunmu was playing.
LaMelo was struggling early with the Rockets' physicality, but he fought through it in the fourth quarter. His difficult shotmaking was the main story. Still, Ball's passing was also sharp, and he did a great job of breaking the Rockets' pressure. None of this would've happened without Finch's unwavering belief in Ball, though.
More generally, Finch's system is more free-flowing than most. In fairness, he has added a bit more structure this season. Nevertheless, it's still a system that primarily relies on plays making reads and taking what the defense gives them. This is exactly what LaMelo needs.
Will he take some bad shots and make some ill-advised passes? Sure, but the good far outweighs the bad with Ball. His ability to make difficult 3-point shots gives the Timberwolves' offense some more firepower, and his daring passing often creates easy looks for his teammates. If Ball were restricted more in a set system, then that would limit his impact.
In short, LaMelo's offensive impact and talent are undeniable, and Finch is helping maximize it.
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