Let the mind games begin: OKC's Daigneault counters Wolves' Finch on officiating

There's some early politicking with officiating before Tuesday's Game 1.

May 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gestures in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets during game six of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Western Conference finals have yet to tip off, but there's already some politicking about officiating from Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault.

Daigneault was asked on Monday about the possibility of Wolves head coach Chris Finch trying to use the media to sway officiating. His response was interesting.

"We prepare the team for the games first of all. I said this in the Denver series because it came up there, too — teams, players, coaches are going to use the media to try to influence the whistle as a competitive advantage. … My mentality on that is it’s the Western Conference finals," Daigneault said Monday. "The guys working these games aren’t here for an accident. I don’t think they’re influenced by anything I say or nothing our team says. I don’t think they’re compromised by what anybody else says."

Mark Daigneault on the possibility Chris Finch tries to politick to the referees in this playoff series like he’s previously done against the Thunder: “We prepare the team for that games first of all. I said this in the Denver series because it came up there too — teams, players,… pic.twitter.com/krDrcForZQ

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) May 19, 2025

Daigneault's response is far from a deflection. He knows the way he answered the question could have just as much of an impact on officiating as anything Finch has said, or will say, throughout the series.

Related: 5 keys for Timberwolves against Thunder in Western Conference finals

Oklahoma City and potential league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are known to receive one of the most controversial whistles in the NBA. Out of the four teams remaining in the postseason, the Thunder lead with 24.9 free-throw attempts per game in the playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander leads individually at 8.7 free-throw attempts per game this postseason.

In February, the Wolves rallied from 25 points down to beat the Thunder. Afterward, Finch remarked on how difficult it is to play against Gilgeous-Alexander, who when in Minnesota this season was greeted by Wolves fans chanting "free-throw merchant."

"It's so frustrating to play this team because they foul a ton. They really do. They foul, they foul all the time," Finch said in February. "And then you can't really touch Shai. It's a very frustrating thing, and it takes a lot of mental toughness to play through it."

This NBA postseason has been more physical than normal, and the Wolves face their biggest test of the playoffs in the conference finals against the Thunder.