There are some fans who have lauded the heightened physicality in the 2025 NBA Playoffs compared to the regular season, while others have expressed a dislike for it. Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban believes teams will sign players “whose greatest ability is to fight” if this level of physicality continues to be allowed into the 2025-26 regular season.
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch is another person who’s spoken out against the level of physicality that teams have been getting away with in these playoffs. He asserted after Minnesota’s Game 1 loss in its second-round series against the Golden State Warriors that Golden State does a lot of “fouling, holding, shoving, pushing and tackling” to big man Rudy Gobert.
Chris Finch on the Warriors in Game 1: “They do a lot of fouling, holding, shoving, pushing and tackling Rudy [Gobert].” Finch said the Wolves have submitted clips to the league office to review the officiating and what was missed. pic.twitter.com/lMSltie2oq
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 7, 2025
Warriors big man Kevon Looney has since responded to Finch’s complaints and admitted that he’s going to play with as much physicality as the referees will let him get away with.
Kevon Looney on physicality against Rudy Gobert and T-Wolves coach Chris Finch’s complains/submissions to the league after Game 1.
“Not really. Last series I feel like was way worse than anything I did last game. It’s the playoffs. I’m gonna grab and push until they call it.” pic.twitter.com/JJV7cgoJbm
— John Dickinson (@JDJohnDickinson) May 7, 2025
Looney didn’t make headlines for his play in the opening game of the second-round matchup between the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds in the Western Conference, as he scored just two points. But he contributed in other ways with six rebounds, one block and two steals in just over 14 minutes of playing time off the pine.
The Warriors collectively were very physical with Gobert, and that perhaps impacted him from a production standpoint in Game 1. For comparison, in a closeout Game 5 in the first round against a Los Angeles Lakers team that was lacking size and perhaps toughness as well, the Frenchman totaled 27 points and 24 rebounds. Versus Golden State, he didn’t even finish with a double-double, as he ended up with nine points and 11 rebounds.
Hopefully for the sake of the Timberwolves’ chances to compete this best-of-seven series, the officials will blow the whistle a bit more often in favor of Gobert, and he will put together a bounce-back Game 2 and help Minnesota even the series.
Game 2 will tip off on Thursday at Target Center before both teams head to Golden State for the next two games. Gobert and the Timberwolves’ ability to defend home court could decide whether or not they will have a real shot to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
