The Wolves' acclaimed season begins with a late loss to the Lakers

LOS ANGELES – For Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, Tuesday's 110-103 season-opening loss to the Lakers felt like a repeat of the circumstances that led to a similar blunder in last season's opener against Toronto.

“From an offensive standpoint, it was my biggest fear,” Finch said. “Exactly what we did last year.”

Finch praised the offense before the first game of the regular season, but it looked nothing like the style of play the Wolves had shown in practice and in their few preseason games.

That's why Finch's preferred description of when the ball stops moving appeared in his postgame remarks.

“The ball got super sticky,” Finch said. “Then everyone went one on one.”

Guard Anthony Edwards attributed the Wolves' loss to open looks not going on goal, but Finch saw a chicken-and-egg quality to the play's views. Yes, the open looks weren't falling, but Finch said by the time those looks came, the Wolves had already spent too much time – the first half of the game – trying to find a groove.

“Really separate. Like all the flow, rhythm and goodwill we built up on offense in preseason, we were just missing it all,” Finch said. “When we were able to get some open insight, for the most part they didn’t go in there. We didn’t generate enough good ones to find the rhythm.”

The Wolves shot 41% overall, including 32% from three-point range. If there's one difference between last season's opening game and this one, it's that the chemistry on this season's team is still there because Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were added in a preseason trade with the Knicks.