Timberwolves notes: Chris Finch not ready to alter the starting lineup

The Timberwolves entered Friday's game against the Grizzlies as losers in five of their past six games. A run like that could lead to some changes in the starting lineup in other times, but coach Chris Finch shot down that notion at Thursday's practice before the team left for Memphis.

"We consider changing lineups and rotations all the time," Finch said. "But I don't know if we feel 100% confident that this is the problem, we're going to shuffle the deck with the starting lineup. I'm not there yet."

The Wolves' starting lineup has improved its efficiency from an awful start to the season, but it still ranks 29th out of 40 five-man lineups across the NBA that have played at least 50 minutes together (minus-6.2).

Finch emphasized a greater need for the Wolves to start games with "more urgency," which has been a frequent talking point as they've struggled the last two weeks.

But Finch and the organization seem committed to making this starting group work and play through the issues it is having.

Along those lines, Finch said he could see signs of them developing more chemistry on the offensive end of the floor. He said he saw "growth" when it came to pick-and-roll actions with Rudy Gobert.

To Finch, the Wolves have been letting games snowball out of control in a couple-minute bursts, something that has not always been the starters' fault specifically, but the team as a whole.

"These games right now are coming down to about a six- or eight-minute window where we're making a lot of mistakes, whether it be defensively or turnovers offensively and it's a bad combination," Finch said. "But if we can mitigate that period, which we haven't been able to do, I would feel real comfortable and confident about our ability to sort this out."

With center Naz Reid out for a second consecutive game because of a stomach bug, the Wolves called up Luka Garza from their G-League affiliate in Iowa ahead of Friday's game.

Garza, who was a two-time Big Ten player of the year at Iowa, earned a two-way deal with a strong showing in training camp and the preseason. He averaged 26 points in his first two games with the Iowa Wolves on 76% shooting.

Austin Rivers, who also missed Wednesday's game because of an illness, was available.

Reid was not on the trip to Memphis, Finch said, and his status for Sunday's game at Cleveland was "undetermined."

The Wolves lead the league in a stat they would like to correct — allowing the most wide open three-pointers.

Per nba.com tracking data, the Wolves allow the most three-point attempts per game (22.8) that are considered "wide open" according to the league. That's defined as having the closest defender six feet or more away at the time of the shot. Opponents are shooting 39% on those shots.

By comparison, the Wolves take just 12.4 threes per game that are considered wide open. That's tied for 21st.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.