Finch takes a direct, no-nonsense approach in his public statements and rarely reveals much emotion, but he was clearly moved by the situation in Minneapolis before his team hosted Golden State on Sunday. The Timberwolves-Warriors game was postponed 24 hours after Pretti was killed on Saturday.
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“I’m more than a resident. This is my home. I love living here. I love being a part of this community. They’ve embraced me from day one. The people have been amazing. It’s sad to see what’s happening,” said Finch, who was hired by the Timberwolves five years ago. “On a human level, certainly as someone who takes pride in being here, I know a lot of our players feel the same way. They all love it here, and it’s hard to see what we’re going through.”
The Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Pretti before the national anthem, just as they did for Renee Good before their game on Jan. 8, the day after she was shot and killed by a federal officer. In December, the Trump administration launched what the Department of Homeland Security declared the largest immigration enforcement operation in history and earlier this month announced a surge of more agents to boost its force to more than 2,000.
The NBA announced Saturday that the rescheduling decision was made to “prioritize the safety of the Minneapolis community” after Pretti was killed during a confrontation in a shopping district less than 2 miles south of the Target Center. Finch said Sunday that the Timberwolves pushed for the game to be postponed to respect the public grieving process.
“Playing basketball just didn’t seem like the right thing to do,” Finch said, thanking the NBA and the Warriors for their support.
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Warriors coach Steve Kerr, long one of the league’s most outspoken coaches, was measured but clearly moved as he expressed his own sympathy.
“This has always been a great stop on the NBA tour. I love the city of Minneapolis. The people here are wonderful and it’s very sad what’s happening. I feel for the city. There’s a pall that has been spread over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are hurting and obviously the loss of life is the main concern. Those families will never get their family back,” Kerr said.
Tens of thousands of people poured into downtown Minneapolis on Friday in protest of the tactics and presence of immigration agents, a crowd the Warriors could see from their hotel as it moved toward Target Center. A smaller protest march took place downtown before Sunday’s game.
Many other voices were raised across the sports world on Sunday. Women’s basketball star Breanna Stewart held a printed “abolish ICE” sign during introductions at her Unrivaled league game. Minnesota Frost fans during a PWHL game chanted “Off ice now!” The NBA Players Association issued a statement in support of the protests in Minnesota and urged its members to speak out.
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Perspectives in a polarized country vary wildly on what constitutes a constitutionally protected protest and what amounts to a violent political disruption, and Kerr seemed to sense that tension as he spoke before Sunday’s game.
“People are very angry. There should be a call to our better angels to look out for each other and recognize what is happening. The media divides us for profit and misinformation. There is so much out there that we all find it really difficult to reconcile,” Kerr said. “And so, in times like these, you have to lean on your values, on who you are and who you want to be, whether as an individual or as a country.”
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NBA AP: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA