T’wolves fire coach after loss

When the rollercoaster was over and the Knicks avoided a terrible collapse, team executive World Wide Wes looked back at his boss, James Dolan, and wiped his brow as if to say “that was a close one.”

After all, losing to the Timberwolves, the worst team in the NBA, would’ve been beyond disappointing. Especially after holding a 21-point lead.

And especially since Minnesota’s coach was probably already fired.

ESPN broke the story of Ryan Saunders’ dismissal less than two hours after the Knicks edged the Timberwolves, 103-99, and quickly followed with news the team was already hiring Raptors assistant Chris Finch as the replacement.

Negotiations don’t move that quickly, so Saunders was firedwhile coaching at MSG, whether he knew it or not. There was swift backlash to hiring Finch from Blazers star Dame Lillard, who advocated for Timberwolves assistant Dave Vanterpool.

Vanterpool was an assistant with the Blazers before he went to Minnesota last season.

“How the hell do you not hire David Vanterpool and he’s right there on the bench,” Lillard tweeted, “and has been in front office SUCCESSFULLY and on the front of a bench of a winning team SUCCESSFULLY (7 years) ... and also has played a major role in the development of a dominant backcourt smdh!”

Finch has been an NBA assistant for four teams since 2011.

“I don’t know him to have nothin against him. Congrats to him,” Lillard added about Finch. “But I’m sorry Vanterpool is a coach that I know for sure is needed in these locker rooms. I speak the real ...not favorites... respectfully.”

The dismissal ended Saunders’ disappointing stint two years after it started.

The last game was against the coach he replaced, Tom Thibodeau, who was fired in Minnesota but is now exceeding expectations with the Knicks.