Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals saw plenty of tension between the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves. It also saw the top ref get into it with Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch.
Crew chief Tony Brothers was seen confronting Finch and needing to be held back during the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ 115-108 win. An NBA official getting this heated on the court is a rare sight.
Nah man Tony Brothers was WILDIN 😭 pic.twitter.com/9hn2y7OQfr
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 9, 2026
Tony Brothers and Chris Finch during the last timeout lolpic.twitter.com/YyTER8FsGP
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) May 9, 2026
Finch gave his side of the story after the game, claiming Brothers had ignored an attempt to call timeout and then got incensed when Finch made a comment about it:
“I wanted the timeout and I said I want my 3 seconds back. He clearly heard me. He looked my way and ignored me, went on with the play, almost cost us a turnover. He lost it. Then I went to ask him where the ball was going to be taken in and he was screaming at me for that. So completely unprofessional behavior by him”
Meanwhile, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards shrugged off the incident:
“It’s competition at the highest level. We want to win. Finchy want to win. Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. We all love him, so it’s all good here.”
Brothers has been an NBA official since the 1994-94 seasons, with experience that includes 19 NBA Finals games per the National Basketball Referees Association. Game 3 was the first time he’s worked on this series, and only the second time he’s overseen a Timberwolves game this postseason.,