After a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Minnesota Timberwolves hosted the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center without a big help. They took the court without their head coach, Chris Finch. According to the Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel, Assistant Coach Micah Nori will serve as the head coach for the game.

According to reports, Finch was ruled out of the game due to illness. This was only the second time in three seasons that Finch had to miss a game with illness, when he was ruled out for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2023-24 season.

Even when Finch didn’t feel well, he remained involved with the team. According to Nori, Finch participated in the team meeting; however, he remained away from the players in case it was contagious. The Wolves team has yet to reveal the specifics of the illness.

According to Nori, Finch had already indicated that he might not be available for the contest.

“He just said to just be ready,” Nori said. “I don’t want to speculate, but maybe a little bit of flu or whatever it may be. Hopefully he’ll be OK.”

This was also the second time this season that Nori had to take over the head coaching job. Last month, when the Timberwolves hosted the OKC Thunder, Finch was ejected in the first quarter. He had received two technical fouls within the first five minutes of the game and was later fined 35K for not leaving the court in a timely manner.

Nori has extensive experience coaching the Timberwolves in Finch’s absence. Previously, he has taken over the head coaching job in the postseason, when Finch’s knee injury kept him limited to the chair.

Nori was also considered for the Detroit Pistons head coaching job before J.B. Bickerstaff was hired. On Sunday, Nori didn’t disappoint, leading his team to the biggest comeback of the season.

Minnesota makes the biggest comeback of the season without head coach Chris Finch

Before the Timberwolves started the game, Chris Finch wasn’t the only bad news in the pipeline. Before the game, Anthony Edwards was also doubtful for the game with a left foot injury.

However, the medical team cleared him for what would end up being one of the most thrilling games of the season and the biggest comeback of the season for the Wolves.

The Spurs had dominated the game since the tip-off. The Wolves had a 19-point deficit at one point in the third quarter, and entered the fourth quarter with a 14-point deficit. However, the story flipped in the last 12 minutes of the regulation.

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Victor Wembanyama and his team faced the 8th-best clutch team in the league, led by one of the best clutch players in the league this season.

Despite losing Rudy Gobert to a flagrant and a technical foul, Micah Nori led his team to a memorable comeback. The Timberwolves stepped up their game on both ends, outscoring the Spurs by 33-18 in the last quarter. Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid all stepped up and sealed the win for Minnesota.

After keeping the Spurs scoreless for three straight minutes, the Timberwolves made it a two-point game with less than four minutes remaining in the regulation. They had scored on seven straight possessions, and tied the game at 96-96 behind back-to-back clutch buckets from Randle.

However, it was Edwards, the third-best clutch player in the league, who eventually took the game away from the Spurs. After a clutch 3-pointer, Edwards gave his team a 100-98 lead with a post-up play.

After Harrison Barnes and Jaden McDaniel exchanged buckets, Edwards drained a game-winner jump shot.

The Timberwolves face the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 13, and will hope for Chris Finch to return from illness.