Chris Finch takes a shot at Lakers coach JJ Redick

RC Nazemi

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Chris Finch takes a shot at Lakers coach JJ Redick image

Last postseason, when the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers, fans and analysts alike took time to dissect what went wrong for LA.

Outside of a difference in physicality, many pointed to Chris Finch’s playoff experience showing through vs. The then-first-year head coach, JJ Redick.

More: Hachimura calls out Timberwolves’ physicality ahead of playoff rematch

In all honesty, JJ Redick did probably get outcoached a bit in his playoff debut, and that’s okay. Redick navigated a tumultuous season, including injuries to his star players and a franchise-altering trade midseason. 

To experience all of that and keep the ship afloat all the way to a 50-32 record and the 3-seed in a tightly contested Western Conference is no small feat. 

During a live podcast recording on The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe's guest and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch chose to take a very interesting shot at JJ Redick. 

Finch implies Redick is not qualified to coach Lakers 

While speaking with Zach Lowe, Finch referred to the crowd, saying that most of the audience would likely be going home to do a podcast later that very evening. What came next was strange. 

Unprompted, Finch adds: 

I mean, it would qualify you to coach the Lakers.

The comment was instantly met with some jeers in the crowd as they cringed at the unnecessary comment. 

Whether or not he was trying to have some light-hearted fun or needed to recoup some confidence after two straight losses to LA, either way, it came off as classless and insecure. 

The Lakers will play the Timberwolves just one more time this season on March 10th, 2026. The game will be played in LA, and if we know anything about JJ Redick, I’m sure he’ll have something cooked up especially for Finch that night. 

I’m sure it will be something along the lines of Kobe Bryant’s iconic “amnesty that” quote. Podcast that? He’s got until March; I’m sure he’ll come up with something. 

 

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Contributing Writer