Minneapolis/St. Paul – The NBA today named Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch Western Conference Coach of the Month for October and November after guiding the Wolves to a 14-4 record to begin the 2023-24 season. This is the first monthly honor of Finch’s coaching career, and he becomes the third Timberwolves head coach to win the award, joining Kevin McHale (January 2009) and Flip Saunders (April 2004, February 2003, January 2001 and January 2000).
The team’s 14-4 start marked the best 18-game record to begin a season in Timberwolves history. Finch led the Wolves to a 13-2 record in the month of November, the most wins in a calendar month in franchise history and the second highest winning percentage (.867) in any calendar month in franchise history (February 2003: 21-1; .923). The .867 winning percentage in November marked the best record ever by a Minnesota-based MLB, NBA or NHL team in a single month (min. 15 games). After defeating the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 14, it marked the seventh straight victory for Minnesota, the longest winning streak in team history since tallying nine straight wins at the end of the 2004 season (Mar. 27-April 14, 2004).
Minnesota is 9-1 at Target Center, tying the 2001-02 Timberwolves squad for the most wins in their first 10 home games to start a season in franchise history. Through 10 home games, the Timberwolves have limited their opponents to shoot 39.9% from the field. It’s the first time in franchise history Minnesota has held their opponents under 40.0% shooting in their first 10 home games of a season. Following the Wolves 112-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 22, it marked the seventh straight victory at home to begin the season, the first time Minnesota has won seven straight home games to start a season.
Led by the NBA’s top defense (106.7 Defensive Rating), the Timberwolves boast the lowest opponent field goal percentage in the NBA and have held their opponents to 40.0% shooting or worse from the field 10 times, the most by any team in the NBA this season. Minnesota’s 10 games holding opponents to 40.0% or worse from the field are the second-most such games through a team’s first 18 games of a season in the last 20 years (14, Indiana in 2013-14). Following their 119-97 win at Memphis on Nov. 26, the Timberwolves have shot 50% or better from the field while holding opponents to 40% or worse from the field in six games this season. No other team in the NBA has more than three such games and 20 teams have yet to achieve that mark.
Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.