World News – CA – Timberwolves hire Raptor’s assistant Chris Finch as head coach after firing Ryan Saunders

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The Chris Finch era on the Raptors coaching staff lasted less than half a shortened regular season

Finch will be named head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday to replace Ryan Saunders, who was sacked Sunday night This was announced by a league source and confirmed initial reports from The Athletic and ESPN

Finch came to Toronto from the New Orleans Pelicans, where he was the assistant head coach before Stan Van Gundy took over the season

With Finch, the Raptors clawed over the 500 mark for the first time this season on Sunday, 16-15 with a 110-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers

He and Raptors coach Nick Nurse have had a decades-long relationship, and Finch joined Nurse in Toronto when Nate Bjorkgren moved to head the Indiana Pacers

Finch was also the head coach of the UK team at the London 2012 Olympics when Nurse was one of his assistants

There was no immediate word on whether the Raptors would get any compensation from the Timberwolves who fired Saunders after a 7-24 start that last saw them dead in the NBA

The logical step in Toronto would be to move Jama Mahlalela to the front row of the bank to replace Finch, who was responsible for the Raptors’ crime

The Timberwolves said they would have an official announcement for Saunders’ replacement on Monday, and the Raptors will likely be vacating their vacancy at the same time

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Chris Finch