Chris Finch knew he was in trouble when he couldn't find his kneecap

The kneecap being displaced is a common symptom of a torn patellar tendon.

Apr 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch is tended to / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

What happens to the human body when the patellar tendon is torn? At least in the case of Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who suffered the injury on April 28, the kneecap isn't guaranteed to stay in place.

"I knew I was in trouble because I couldn't get out of the way," Finch told Dan Patrick, recalling the moment he collided with point guard Mike Conley on Sunday, April 28. "I tried to catch Mike and Mike tried to catch me and as soon as we collided I knew something was seriously wrong. When I went to grab for my knee, there was no kneecap there and that's when I thought, 'OK, this is going to be a serious one.'"

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a common symptom of a ruptured patellar tendon is the "kneecap moving up into the thigh because it is no longer anchored to your shinbone."

Finch, who has coached the last two games sitting directly behind the bench while assistant coach Micah Nori leads the team on the sideline, will begin physical therapy Wednesday in an effort get some movement back into his knee.

Here's a little more from Finch...

What did he think of Jamal Murray's fine?

"I wasn't expecting there to a be a suspension. The money side is probably appropriate," Finch said. "It seemed to be a serious transgression so it brought with it a serious fine."

Are the Michael Jordan-Anthony Edwards comparisons fair?

"I mean, stylistically they might be. There's a long way to go in terms of championship level, sustainability and all that, but the confidence is there, the swagger is there, it's all real," Finch said. "He's never shied away from the moment. That was apparent from early on."