After a 116-105 Game 1 loss, there was a lot to be frustrated about if you're a Minnesota Timberwolves fan. One thing that especially got fans riled up, though, was the Denver Nuggets shooting 33 free throws to the Wolves' 19 free throws. Jamal Murray himself shot 16 free throws, and with four minutes left, he had the same amount of FTs as the entire Wolves squad.Â
After the game, Chris Finch delivered a clear message about the officiating.Â
"The 16 free throws from (Jamal) Murray is a head scratcher," Finch said bluntly when asked what he needs from his team's defense.
Finch has never held his tongue when discussing his thoughts on officiating. Whether it's his frequent complaints about bad calls against his team or his iconic ejection against the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this year, Finch has become somewhat famous for his displeasure with the refs. And most of the time, his frustration is justified!
The free throw disparity was certainly a factor in Saturday's loss
Listen, I hate blaming officiating. Truthfully, most of the reasoning for the Wolves' 11-point loss was self-inflicted issues. Most of the Wolves' problems were on the offensive side of the ball, but I thought their screen navigation and general defense were poor.
However, officiating was undoubtedly a factor to some degree. Only four of Murray's 22 field goal attempts were in the paint, yet he somehow got 16 free throws. In general, Murray is more of a perimeter threat than a slasher.Â
It certainly doesn't help that many of the fouls Murray drew were on plays where he initiated contact, including kicking out on his jump shot to draw a flagrant foul on Jaden McDaniels in the first quarter. This play, where Murray simply slipped on the court, was another egregious call.
Again, officiating wasn't the main reason or even a top-three reason why the Wolves fell short in Game 1. Nevertheless, over the course of a game, little plays like this add up and help sway the game.Â
And it's frustrating that the Wolves don't get the same calls on the other end of the floor. As noted, the Wolves shot 14 fewer free throws than the Nuggets, but they also had 12 more points in the paint.Â
This clear double standard is an understandable point of irritation for the Wolves. Based on Finch's comments and the Wolves' body language throughout the game, it's clear the officiating impacted them to some extent.
Should the Wolves handle poor officiating in a more mature manner and not let bad calls impact their mindset? Absolutely. Regardless, it's easy to understand why it got to them, and their frustration is backed up by all Wolves fans.
While it's not the most important swing factor in the world, it will be worth watching how the rest of this series will be officiated. Hopefully, Finch's comments can spark some change from the officials, but this is far from a guarantee.Â
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