From the second quarter on vs Milwaukee, the Wolves were chasing on the scoreboard. They’d fall down by a handful (or two) of points, then claw it back to even, just to fall behind again.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Bucks’ disappointing end

But then, down 99-94 with 2:51 remaining, the Timberwolves made their final run of the game, outscoring the Bucks 7-0 over the next two minutes to take a 101-99 lead, which finished on a Naz Reid exclamation-point corner three, with just 47.1 seconds left. Unfortunately, those were the last points Minnesota scored.

After Naz’ clutch bucket, Milwaukee proceeded to put the ball in the basket on both of the Bucks’ next two possessions. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards went 0-for-2 (10-for-33 shooting in the game) on the other side of the floor, both pull-up jumpers.

Ant’s final miss came on his 17th three-point attempt of a game in which he made just four. Final score: Bucks 103, Wolves 101

ANTHONY EDWARDS DOES NOT DO OVERTIMES 🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/E0hdLpmlK1

— Hater Central (@TheHateCentral) February 13, 2025

Asked after the game if he was mad about his final two possessions vs Milwaukee, Edwards shrugged it off and chalked it up to ‘some fall and some don’t’. He remained adamant too, that the final shot above was better than any other shot he could have gotten.

Wolves coach Chris Finch calls out rookie Rob Dillingham

Head coach Chris Finch agreed with his superstar, telling reporters that he had no problem with the Wolves’ final shot or the game’s final possession. Instead, he pointed to other flaws in the Minnesota Timberwolves performance Wednesday.

Yes, Ant had a rough night from the field (29% FG, 28 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST) but Finchy was less concerned about his superstar and more concerned about his rookie. The 5th-year head coach made very clear during his postgame press conference that Minnesota’s biggest problem vs Milwaukee was their lack of organization and sense of calm offensively.

Finch specifically called out No. 8 overall draft pick Rob Dillingham, bluntly telling gathered media that Rob “is trying to search his [own] offense too much” and that he needs to search more for smarter pace, how to get into the paint and pass more…

“We got the ball in Joe’s hands to calm things down a little bit. We certainly need more from Rob in that situation, we need more of a point guard. Right now, I think he is trying to search his offense too much and he needs to search pace, search the paint and search the pass.”

Chris Finch postgame press conference – Timberwolves vs Bucks

With veteran point guard Mike Conley out, Finch was hoping Dillingham would grow up a little bit, as a point guard last night… and the rookie failed to answer the call. That’s why the Wolves eventually turned the offense over to 37-year-old Joe Ingles.

More from Finch on Rob Dillingham’s tough night vs Milwaukee

On the night, 20-year-old Rob Dillingham finished with 13 minutes off the bench, where he shot just 1-for-5 (0-for-2 from deep). But that’s only the beginning of what was a hideous Wednesday night box score — 2 PTS, 0 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO, -6 (+/-). Finch wasn’t done talking about Rob, though.

Related: Timberwolves’ Pursuit of Kevin Durant Far From Over

When asked by independent Minnesota Timberwolves reporter Dane Moore if it is critical they find a calming point guard presence who can control the game when necessary, while Conley is out, Finch said “yeah for sure” and again brought the conversation back to his rookie point guard.

Dane Moore: “Does that just feel critical in whatever this time is that Mike [Conley] is going to be out for, is just having, whether it’s Joe or just in general, having more control in the halfcourt?”

Finch: “Yeah for sure. We need to get more organized. We talked about that the other day after the Cleveland game. There are certain lineups out there… and again, this is what we need from Rob. We need him to get us into [plays] and get us more organized and play with some structure.”

Chris Finch postgame press conference – Timberwolves vs Bucks

I would disagree with Chris Finch, when it comes to the final possession of last night’s game. The Wolves, most importantly, need Anthony Edwards to be better in clutch time, where he has consistently struggled early on in his career. But I absolutely agree with his assessment on Rob Dillingham.

Report: Mavs Engaged Timberwolves in Luka Doncic Trade Talks

Until he learns how to control the pace of play and learn more to take what defenses are giving him, Minnesota will not be able to move on from Mike Conley… which isn’t a good thing since the 37-year-old point guard is on one of the worst seasons of his NBA career.

How will Dillingham react to this type of public criticism and why did Finch feel like he had to go there with media, regarding his point guard. In almost all scenarios, these things are worked on and discussed between player and coach long before called out publicly like this. So… what is Rob struggling to understand behind the scenes?

A valiant 4th quarter effort made it a contest, but Milwaukee flew home early this morning with a 112-107 win. While the game was plenty entertaining, it was Pat Bev’s comments on social media afterward that kept people buzzing all night long.

Patrick Beverley Gets Cocky After Wolves Loss To Bucks

Patrick Beverley wasn’t particularly impactful in the Milwaukee Bucks’ five-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. He was his usual, aggravator self though, getting in the face of every Wolves player he matched up with throughout the night.

When the final buzzer sounded, Bev chipped in 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. He also committed three fouls (in just 15 minutes of play) and finished with a -13 plus/minus. But, the Bucks won so Pat Bev got the last laugh.

Shortly after the game wrapped up, Beverley took to social media with his former head coach Chris Finch in his cross hairs. Apparently, Finch didn’t find him after the game to shake his hand, which he did do after the two teams met last time, a Timberwolves win.

😂 coach finch walks off don’t even say a word. Sore loser. Belt 2 A$$

— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) February 24, 2024

Yes to keep that same energy. They beat us earlier. He was the first 2 say hello. Keep the same energy @PatBevPod https://t.co/o4SqSKYx1O

— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) February 24, 2024

This is classic Pat Bev right here. You love him when he’s on your team and hate him when he’s not. Is he really mad at Chris Finch? No, does he hope to rile up the Timberwolves fan base and get a few more listens on his podcast this week? Yes.

Related: Anthony Davis Says Timberwolves are the Best Team He’s Seen This Season

Ultimately, Beverley is just a feisty competitor, the type that anyone who likes basketball should be able to appreciate. But since he’s no longer in Wolves colors and he’s taking shots at our head coach, go ahead and dive into the replies.

Unfortunately, last night’s matchup was the last time the Timberwolves play the Bucks this season, barring a rematch in the NBA Finals. With both Pat Bev and the Timberwolves still seeking their first NBA Championship, there’s plenty of motivation on both sides to get there.

Doc Rivers in awe of Minnesota Timberwolves

And after playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night, Rivers was in awe of what he had just witnessed, which was a Wolves beatdown of his Bucks, at home. Still, he couldn’t help but praise everything about the team that had just handed him his third-straight L. Minnesota’s length, their fight, their defense… everything.

“Yeah, they’re long. Wow, it’s… just watching their length out there, you know, Giannis would beat one seven-footer, run into another seven-footer. You beat him and then there’s another seven-footer with length. They’re just, they’re a long basketball team. I think it took them a year to figure out how to use [their length].

You know, last year, a lot of people knocked the trade [for] Rudy. I don’t think anyone’s laughing at that trade anymore. I mean they’re just long and they play hard too. I was really impressed with that, late in the game, when they still had their starters off. They were fighting through screens, they were getting frustrated that AJ [Green] was making shots. It’s a team that you can see thinks they have a chance and they’re going for it. You can see in the way they play.”

Doc Rivers (video above)

Related: Timberwolves Planning More Moves Post Trade Deadline via NBA Buyout Market

Doc Rivers, a highly respected coach in the NBA and a likely Hall of Famer, wants to emphasize that this trade was a big time basketball move by Tim Connelly. For those who understand the game, adding the three time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert alongside Anthony Edwards and KAT to form a “big 3” has proven to be a winning formula, evident in its success thus far in the second year.

#Timberwolves chemistry rn! 🐺📈⚗️

Watch how Ant, Rudy plan together at the end…#RaisedByWolves #NBA pic.twitter.com/ftB6hpSSHX

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) February 9, 2024

Gobert Changed The Trade Market Forever

When the Timberwolves made the trade for Rudy Gobert, the NBA world couldn’t help but laugh, and even Timberwolves fans found themselves questioning the decision. It seemed like a strange move at the time, and many doubted whether Gobert would fit in well with a team that already had a wealth of talented big men..

Critics raised concerns about how his style of play would mesh with the existing roster. Trading away five first-round picks and all of your role players was certainly a bold move. I, for one, have been on board since the beginning.

Why? Because the Timberwolves have been losers my whole life, so when they finally decided to take a risk and do something different, I couldn’t help but support it. And you know what? It’s paying off.

Never forget when the Jazz finessed the Timberwolves 😂 pic.twitter.com/RlfpRXpgcX

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 7, 2024

Even now, tweets like this continue to pop up on NBA Twitter, and it’s quite amusing when you consider the current standings. However, with the NBA trade deadline this week, it seems like the Gobert trade may have thrown the entire trade market into disarray.

Related: Multiple Minnesota Timberwolves Participating in NBA All-Star Competitions

While I personally thought the Gobert trade was fair, the widespread hate it received may have caused NBA general managers to overvalue players and demand excessive returns in trades. This could explain why there were no major names traded at this year’s deadline.

Timberwolves Won The Trade

Regardless of the outcome of the rest of the season, even if the Wolves manage to finish in the top 4 in the Western Conference, they have already demonstrated in the second year of Gobert’s tenure that they emerged as winners in this trade. Looking at the players sent to the Jazz, only one remains with the team.

While the Jazz may potentially benefit from a late first-round pick, it’s worth noting that the Wolves are expected to maintain their high standings for years to come, likely resulting in those picks being towards the end of the round. Additionally, Gobert’s odds of -700 on Fanduel to win Defensive Player of the Year, even before the All-Star break, demonstrates his exceptional performance and impact.