The Wolves looked off color without Anthony Edwards in their loss to the Warriors. But that’s their reality for at least the next two months. Right when everyone scratched their heads over how to fix things with LaMelo Ball temporarily taking the reins, LaVar Ball lunged forward. He has questioned the coaching decisions in Minnesota.
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His message to Chris Finch and the rest of the NBA was simple: stop overcomplicating basketball and start playing faster.
“These suckers don’t know how to win every game like that because they don’t understand the coaching style when you’re running the gun,” LaVar said in a video posted on X by Kyle Ingram.
He did not hold back when discussing teams that fail to embrace his preferred style.
“Whoever can get the most shots up gonna win. Whoever shoots the most threes is gonna win. Coaching 101: whenever you start the fourth quarter, you start with your starters, regardless of the people that are on the bench brought you back. It don’t matter.”
LaVar even brought up his experience coaching his sons at Chino Hills, claiming his teams never lost when they played that way.
The timing of the rant makes it particularly interesting.
Minnesota has now lost consecutive games, and Anthony Edwards is also sidelined for roughly two months following knee surgery. So, with Edwards sidelined, LaMelo Ball is expected to shoulder a greater share of the offensive responsibility over the next two months.
And that’s when LaVar put the spotlight on coach Chris Finch and blamed him for the loss.
“Man, this game is so easy to coach. At the end of every quarter, guess what? It’s only gonna be two guys that usually take all the shots. And what do you do to those two guys? Double team. Double team every time. It’s so easy to beat goddamn Golden State. Why? Just Golden State. Double Curry. Make somebody else make the decision. It’s not that hard. Double team them anytime they got the ball. It’s only two people that’s gonna take all the shots, and all you gotta do is double team them.”
There is also a curious contradiction in LaVar’s argument.
He argued that the team that shoots the most threes wins the game. Minnesota attempted 45 three-pointers, ten more than the Warriors, yet still failed to win. The Timberwolves followed his preferred volume approach. But it could not convert enough of those opportunities into a victory.
LaMelo Ball’s performance added another complication.
The guard finished with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-8 from beyond the arc, while committing six turnovers. With Edwards unavailable, Minnesota needs LaMelo to shoulder more responsibility. But his shooting and ball security have not consistently delivered the offensive production required.
LaVar, however, dismissed the importance of turnovers and conventional statistical assessments.
His argument is that a running team should prioritize pace, spacing and shot volume. He also laid down a strict rule for coaches entering the fourth quarter.
Interestingly, Finch did bring LaMelo back early in the final period, with the guard returning at the 10:47 mark. The rotation decision therefore did not appear to be the problem LaVar suggested. Minnesota simply could not turn its opportunities into enough points to overcome the Warriors.
And Stephen Curry made sure the difference was clear. The Warriors superstar erupted for 19 points in the second quarter. He eventually finished with a season-high 44 points, converting all 16 of his free throws.
LaVar offered a straightforward defensive solution, too: Double team Curry. Well, if only that was simple.
Then he had a message to coaches and podcasters:
“It’s very easy to coach a running team. If your a*s ain’t running and getting into the corners, guess what? You be sitting next to me on the bench. So, hey, you suckers who just be talking on these podcasts, y’all ain’t never played no basketball, and you damn sure don’t know how to coach, because you’re stuck on, ‘Oh, I have to be fundamentals. Oh, you have to be disciplined. Oh,’ nah, it’s just basketball. You learn how to play when you was on the playground. And, hey, whoever play the fastest, shoot the most threes gonna win. Trust me when I tell you. But that’s all y’all gonna get for Coaching 101 from Big Baller.”
For Finch, the challenge now extends beyond finding a replacement for Edwards’ scoring. LaMelo Ball must become more efficient with the ball, while the rest of the roster needs to provide consistent production. LaVar’s emphasis on pace could help Minnesota generate opportunities.
But the Warriors game showed that volume alone cannot compensate for poor execution.
The Timberwolves are still adjusting to life without their franchise star. And their next stretch will test their ability to find a workable offensive identity.