Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has raised concerns about the legality of several blocks by San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during Monday’s playoff game. Finch argued that at least four of Wembanyama’s 12 blocks, which set a new NBA playoff record, should have been called as goaltending violations.
Speaking on Tuesday, Finch claimed that the referees missed multiple instances where Wembanyama interfered with shots after they had begun their downward trajectory or were directly above the cylinder. “Obviously, Wembanyama had a historic night, but when we reviewed the footage, at least four of those blocks were goaltending—maybe even a fifth,” Finch said.
The controversy arose during Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, where the Spurs fell 102-104 to the Timberwolves at home. Despite Wembanyama’s record-breaking 12 blocks—surpassing the previous mark of 10 set by Mark Eaton (1985), Hakeem Olajuwon (1990), and Andrew Bynum (2012)—the Spurs could not secure the win.
Finch described Wembanyama as a “generational shot-blocker” and expressed frustration that such a dominant defensive presence wasn’t subject to closer scrutiny. “Those are eight points. Do you know how much eight points matter in a playoff game? They’re enormous,” he said, though he noted that the team would not file a formal complaint because it wouldn’t change the outcome.
Wembanyama, who also posted 11 points and 15 rebounds in the game, acknowledged he needs to improve his offensive performance ahead of Game 2, which the Spurs will host again on Wednesday. The 7-foot-4 center, recently named Defensive Player of the Year, is under pressure to help San Antonio bounce back in the series.
