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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama set the new all-time NBA single-game playoff block record on Monday night, rejecting 12 shots in a Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He surpassed the previous play-by-play era record of 10 shared by Mark Eaton (1985), Hakeem Olajuwon (1990) and Andrew Bynum (2012).
The unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year protected the rim like only he can, recording one highlight-reel block after another.
Wembanyama's defensive performance will go down in the NBA history books, but Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch doesn't believe this new record is legitimate.
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After the Timberwolves' Game 1 win, Finch said "at least four" of Wembanyama's blocks should have been called goaltending.
"When we looked at [the blocks], at least four four of them were goaltending. Maybe even a fifth," Finch said. "To me it's a little alarming that none of them were called. Here's a generational shot blocker who's 7-foot-6 and goes after everything, and there's no heightened awareness that these blocks could be goaltends?
"Let's just say there were four. That's eight points. You know the value of eight points in an NBA game? It's massive. That's 33% of his blocks were goaltending uncalled."
Four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert added, "I wish I had that type of treatment, too."
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The Timberwolves were led by a game-high 21 points from Julius Randle, who found himself on the receiving end of several of Wembanyama's blocks. Anthony Edwards, who returned to the court despite a bone bruise on his left knee, scored an efficient 18 points while playing under a minutes restriction.
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Game 2 will tipoff at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
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