The 54-year-old suffered the injury during the Timberwolves’ fourth game against the Phoenix Suns.
Running at high speed, Ch. Finch’s protégé Mike Conley was pushed by Suns’ leader Devin Booker, which led to M. Conley crashing into his coach and knocking him to the ground.
As it turned out later, Mr. Finch’s patellar tendon ruptured. He underwent an operation, after which the strategist will have to use crutches for some time. The entire rehabilitation period can take up to half a year.
However, Ch. Finch did not stay away from the team and on Thursday he took part in the Timberwolves’ training session on crutches.
The Wolves, coming off a 4-0 sweep of the Suns, will open a second-round series against the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Saturday. It is not yet clear whether the head coach will go with the team to Denver.
“I’m not sure, that’s up to Chris. I’m not his doctor, but he’s doing great. The team will accept whatever decision he makes,” Timberwolves director of basketball operations Tim Connelly told ESPN.
When Mr. Finch was no longer able to coach the team at the end of the fourth match, assistant Micah Nori took over the team’s helm from him. Argentinian Pablo Prigioni, well known to Europeans, also works in the Timberwolves coaching staff
