Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch was ejected less than halfway through the first quarter of Friday night’s Western Conference battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Finch was issued a technical foul after Anthony Edwards drove to the basket and missed a shot. Finch, while Edwards was screaming for a foul, took the officials’ attention off of Edwards and was given one technical, and then a second technical to earn the ejection.
Finch flat-out lost his temper and had to be restrained by assistant coaches from confronting an official face-to-face. He was ejected with 6:19 remaining in the opening quarter.
Chris Finch ejected bro went crazy on the ref 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/2QkwgHYf4U
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) December 20, 2025
It’s only the second time Finch has been ejected since being named head coach of Minnesota in 2020. His first career ejection came in late January of last season, when he picked up two technical fouls and was tossed during the third quarter of a Wolves win over the Suns.
Finch appeared to be confronting 23-year NBA official Courtney Kirkland, who was designated as the crew chief for Friday’s game between the Wolves and Thunder. He was joined by referee Nick Buchert and umpire John Butler.
Micah Nori, the top assistant under Finch, took over as the acting head coach. Nori has been a head coaching candidate in each of the last two hiring cycles, so he’s more than capable and qualified to lead a team.
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