This past summer, they traded most of their future draft picks to get three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. They paired him with one of the most dominant offensive bigs in the NBA in, Karl Anthony-Towns.

More importantly, they have one of the brightest and freakishly athletic young talents in the League, Anthony Edwards. So how is this group not reaching the success everyone had deemed them to be atop of? D’Angelo Russell’s struggles may answer that.

whole squad ate tonight.

DLo – 30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL
KAT – 29 PTS / 12 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK
TP – 19 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST
Rudy – 15 PTS / 12 REB / 1 AST / 2 BLK
Ant – 10 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST pic.twitter.com/q0z2JWrr52

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

While basketball is team-oriented, Russell’s raw production has undoubtedly taken a dip. The Ohio State alum is averaging 14.4 points per game on 32.9 percent shooting from long distance. The only way to combat that kind of slow start through the first 14 games of the season; is to put in more work.

“[Russell was] Extremely locked in in his preparation coming into that game,” said head coach Chris Finch in an interview on KFAN Radio. “I’ve never had a player not benefit from extra work. D’Lo put the work in when he needed to, and it paid off for him and for us.”

0 was in his bag tonight

30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL pic.twitter.com/Q99BxNADKB

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

Russell had a much-needed 30-piece against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The narrow victory proved to Finch that the “little live 5-on-5 drills” he conducted in practice were starting to revive Russell’s shooting touch.

“Playing a little live 5-on-5 against coaches and against other players so he could feel a bit more of the rhythm of a game and how he wanted to play,” said Finch. “I told him when he was playing to be very aggressive, shoot it all the time. Just shoot yourself back into a rhythm.”

The 11 assists that night were also an encouraging factor in his performance. Russell’s facilitating, as always, helped Edwards make the cuts for his explosive slams, while Anthony-Towns, in pick-and-pop situations, knocked down the treys that led to victories.

Once everyone finds their game for the Wolves, the team will be a force in the Western Conference; there’s just too much talent not to believe it. For Minnesota to have their star point guard work his way out of the struggles can greatly inspire the rest of the group to find their rhythm.

The post D’Angelo Russell’s ‘Extra Work’ Results in Breakout Game appeared first on SLAM.

He is doing all this while shooting an improved 44.9 percent from the field and 36.9 from three.

While there is no doubt that Edwards has increased his output and has taken the necessary steps during the off-season to take “the leap” that he predicted for himself, the Wolves find themselves sitting at just .500 with a record of 4-4 in their first eight games. It is important to note that Minnesota did go out and strike a great deal with the Utah Jazz to trade for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

Last night versus the Suns’ Edwards went off for 24 points on 5-10 shooting from deep to go along with six rebounds. Gobert also chipped in with seven points and nine rebounds while shooting a surprising 0-1 from the field but going 7-7 from the free throw line.

However, of everything that Edwards has done this year, one thing that seems to be missing from his versatile scoring: his insane dunking. In the eight games in which Edwards has played, the rim-rattling young star has zero dunks.

“Everybody is in the paint,” Edwards said about having 0 dunks. “I’m only 6’4, 6’5; I can’t just jump over everybody, man. I ain’t as tall as Giannis. Everybody be asking me to dunk the ball like it’s all peaches and cream. I’ve got to get a good lane to dunk the ball.”

Both Edwards and Gobert are looking to take Minnesota to the “next level” and really make other NBA teams see them as a powerhouse within an already stacked Western Conference. The T-Wolves have a roster full of talent to make a real name for themselves in the West this year.

With Edwards stepping up, a defensive anchor in Gobert, a true point guard in D’Angelo Russell, and the leadership of Karl Anthony-Towns, the young wolf pack can potentially achieve their playoff goal. Adjustments will be made, and team chemistry will grow as the season progresses; just give them some time.

The post Anthony Edwards On Why He Has Zero Dunks: ‘ I Can’t Just Jump Over Everybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

“The first unit, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s better. I thought it was really good tonight. It’s just kind of — as we go through, like, these different units and guys playing with Rudy, it’s all a learning curve for us right now.”

The first unit had plenty of heroes; Anthony Edwards had 30 points on 13/19 shooting from the field and even found the time to kick in 11 boards. Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 15 recounts. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Their superior size advantage helped them outrebound the Thunder 54-42. 

The Wolves’ twin towers pairing was the initial allure of Minnesota’s off-season acquisitions. Their starting lineup figures to be on the level of anyone’s this season but Naz Reid off the bench was the final spark to secure the win for the Timberwolves. 

Reid finished with 14 points on 5-7 shooting, all in the fourth quarter. He was a big part of finally putting away the Thunder, playing well enough that FInch decided to keep him on the floor instead of re-inserting KAT and the stifle Tower

“I was going to try to bring Kat (Towns) and Rudy back at the same time and then try to finish the game there in the middle of the fourth,” Finch said. “And Nas was great, so we didn’t have to do that.”

Despite the win, the Timberwolves shot poorly from three, but the way they dominated the paint set the table for the win. The Wolves will have plenty of time to try and mesh their uncommon frontcourt pairing over the next 79 regular season games, but Sunday, the learning process wasn’t enough to distract from getting the win.

The post Chris Finch Says Timberwolves Are ‘Still A Work in Progress’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves hit big this off-season, adding three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in a monumental trade with Utah. Now that the Wolves have added another star-caliber talent to their roster, championship expectations have never been higher. When asked his thoughts on the addition of Gobert and how they would co-exist, Towns replied:

“I think Rudy’s one of the best defensive players we’ve ever had in the NBA. He has the hardware to prove it.” He said, according to CBS Sports, “I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen. So putting us together gives us really a whole new spectrum of talent to use.”

KAT signed an extension in June to stay at the place he “calls home.” He went on to list all the sacrifices that he has made personally to help get the team to this point:

“I came into the NBA; I sacrificed everything I can, my body included trying to get us to the playoffs. I’ve sacrificed everything. I’ve sacrificed my life. I’ve sacrificed time with my mom. I’ve sacrificed public opinion of me. All for the betterment of my team, my teammates, their lives, and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Anthony Towns has previously stated that he wants to ‘build a legacy’ in Minnesota. With so many talented pieces and young superstar Anthony Edwards, his best friend, and former All-Star D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Towns can begin to cement that legacy, and the Wolves potentially could make a huge playoff run.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m One of the Best Offensive Players and Talents the NBA has Ever Seen’ appeared first on SLAM.

One thing that the T-Wolves do know is that Edwards is a cornerstone and likely future face of the franchise. The third-year guard out Georgia has made himself a popular star not only for his high-flying playstyle but for his postgame quotes and affable personality off the court. This offseason alone, he’s already gone viral for his gunslinging with friends and was featured in a Sprite with Hawks star Trae Young.

However, Edwards isn’t just focused on having a great summer off the court. The Timberwolves star guard has reportedly looked like a “monster” over the summer.

Make or Miss Go 110 @theantedwards_ #DontFollowTheWave pic.twitter.com/TLKT3nxyzM

— GrassRoots (@GRSportsMedia) June 22, 2022

With the help of his brother, Bubba, his longtime trainer Justin Holland, player development coach Chris Hines, Edwards has been working on improving aspects of his game like his long distance shooting, defense, and taking another step in his evolution as a playmaker. Coach Chris Finch also wants Edwards to improve as closer and all-around player over the offseason too.

“I’ve been working on everything, man,” Edwards said per Jon Krawczynski. “Just getting better. I’m trying to take that leap this year and be the best player I can be. Trying to take my team as far as we can.”

With the addition of Gobert to the lineup, Minnesota’s guards will be playing with a premiere pick-and-roll player that is sublime at finishing dump offs and alley ops. The Wolves are thin at point guard. D’Angelo Russell and Jordan McLaughlin are the main floor generals, so Edwards will be tasked with not only being a walking bucket, but with making his teammates job of scoring easier off his passes.

Furthermore, Minnesota belives that Gobert can unlock another level of Ant-Man’s game as the one of the NBA’s best screeners, best rebounders, and an elite rim protector that won three DPOY’s (2018-2019, 2021). With Gobert’s screens forcing switches or freeing Edwards up for buckets, the Timberwolves, will see another level of elite play.

Defensively, the T-Wolves hope that Edwards and Jaden McDaniels can continue to evolve into elite defenders. The task will help Gobert who’s become the subject of criticsm for not being as stout defensively on switches as he is in the paint. If Edwards and McDaniels can eliminate the need for Gobert to guard speedy guards on the perimeter, Minnesota could have a stout defense capable of shutting down any NBA offense.

“I feel like after probably a year or two more I will understand everything I need to do in the summertime to be the best I can be,” Edwards said. “Right now, I’m figuring it out. It’s going pretty good.”

@theantedwards_ was feeling it in his playoff debut dropping 36 points to give the @Timberwolves the 1-0 series lead!

36 PTS | 6 AST | 2 BLK | 4 3PM

GAME 2: T-WOLVES/GRIZZLIES
Tues. 8:30pm/et on NBA TV#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/iyE4Jet5Fj

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

Last season, Edwards averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Ant-Man was a key cog in Minnesota winning 46 games and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Although the Wolves were eliminated in six games, the young team learned a lot about closing out games and being able to capitalize on cementing leads.

After a huge summer of fun and development, Minnesota and its fan will hope that Edwards, Towns, and Gobert can lead the Timberwolves to a new level of excellence.

“I feel like I’m working extremely hard, harder than I’ve ever worked before,” Edwards said. “I’m just happy with the results right now. I’m happy to see what it leads to on the court.”

The post Anthony Edwards on 2022-23 Season: ‘I’m Trying to Take That Leap This Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

The former Kentucky Wildcat has played for the T-Wolves since he was drafted first overall during the 2015 NBA Draft. Since then, he’s accomplished a lot, earning three All-Star selections, two All-NBA selections, and won Rookie of the Year in 2015. He’s also led Minnesota to the playoffs twice, although they haven’t been able to advance past the second round while KAT has been in a T-Wolves jersey.

“I call this place home,” Towns said. “I said that since I came in, I said that since Flip called me after the draft day and I was there, and everyone was at Target Center.”

“I said this was home, and I never intended to lie to y’all. I really felt that this place has been nothing but fabulous to me and my family and has made this journey so fun and this journey so worth it. I’m just very honored to be able to put that TImberwolves jersey on for many more years to come, and I’m honored that I get the chance to do it with these wonderful guys next to me. So the future of this team, this organization, is bright, and it’s time to shine.”

“I’ve said that since day one…I call this place home.”@KarlTowns talks his contract extension with the @Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/QlowmIaWkW

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 22, 2022

The future is bright for Minnesota behind the leadership of KAT, the emergence of Anthony Edwards, and the acquisition of Rudy Gobert via trade this summer. The Timberwolves will be looking to reverse some of the game’s trends as they employ a Twin-Towers lineup anchored by Towns and three-time DPOY Gobert. Towns believe that he and Gobert can make up for each other’s deficiencies, which is why they’ll be a playoff contender for seasons to come.

“I expect a lot of winning, for sure,” KAT said while smiling. “It’s just a lot of winning. Like I said, I’m not up here just blowing smoke, I really wanna try to bring a championship right here to Minnesota, and I think that Rudy adds a huge component to that. He’s gonna be a massive part of us being a championship team, and my job is to help him as much he’s gonna help me.”

“His strengths are my weaknesses, and his weaknesses are my strength, so we’re gonna be able to play off of each other.”

“I expect a lot of winning.”@KarlTowns on @rudygobert27 joining the team in Minnesota pic.twitter.com/71ZsyrPfzd

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 22, 2022

The Timberwolves (46-36) ended the season seventh in the West after the Play-In Tournament and lost in first round of the playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies in six games.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns on Signing His Extension: ‘I Call This Place Home’ appeared first on SLAM.

Russell is coming off a season where he averaged 18.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. As the third option behind KAT and Anthony Edwards, D-Lo had some memorable in the regular-season and scored 29 points during Minnesota’s Play-In tournament win over the Clippers.

“Hell yeah,” Russell said per The Athletic. “Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that.”

D’Angelo Russell when asked if he wants to finalize an extension before the 2022-23 season begins:

“Hell yeah… Obviously every player wants an extension, and you want to be in a position to do that.”https://t.co/4PWnkfv5qv

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 13, 2022

With Gobert in the fold, Russell will likely be able to keep his spot in the offensive hierarchy, but he will be asked to keep up his playmaking chops as the T-Wolves figure out how to best incorporate Gobert into their offense. In Utah, the Stifle Tower was best when he could rumble down the lane off pick-and-rolls and crush the ball on alley-oops or dump-off passes.

D-Lo will also need to keep Ant and KAT happy as the incumbent 1-2 punch Minnesota will rely on to bring them back to the playoffs next season.

If Russell and Minnesota cannot agree on a deal, the former All-Star guard said he wouldn’t have any hard feelings toward the T-Wolves’ front office. He says he likes the team he’s around, and although he doesn’t know how things will unfold, he knows that for now, he is needed in Minnesota to help the team unlock their next level towards earning their first title in franchise history.

“Those are things I can’t really control. I know my value, what I’m capable of, the position I’m being put in now, the players that we got around us, the sky’s the limit,” Russell said. “If we don’t go through with that, I know what position I’m in and if we do, I know what position I seem to be in. So we spend a lot of money. We’ll see how that works out.”

The post D’Angelo Russell on Signing Extension ‘Every Player Wants’ appeared first on SLAM.

2021-22 All-NBA teams:

First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

Second: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan

Third: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2022

Although Jokic is the reigning MVP, he wasn’t the leading vote-getter for All-NBA First Team, Antetokounmpo was. The Greek Freak received all 100 votes for one of the forward spots on the First-Team. Jokic and Joel Embiid, who finished as runner-up for the ’21 and ’22 MVP, split votes as the First-Team center. Embiid ended up being named as the center for the Second-Team.

Antekounmpo was not only the lone unanimous All-NBA selection this season, but he also became the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Time in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.

Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to earn his third First-Team selection before turning 24-years-old, joining Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zazlofsky. Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic were joined by Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker. According to the NBA, this is the first time since 1954-55 that the First-Team comprises players at least 27-years-old or younger.

Booker and Tatum earned the First-Team nod for the first time in their career. This is the first overall All-NBA selection for Booker and Tatum’s second nod. Tatum is the first Celtic to make All-NBA First-Team since Kevin Garnett did it in 2008. He’s also the youngest Celtic to earn an All-NBA First-Team selection since Larry Bird in 1980.

The Second-Team is rounded out by Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and Durant. Chris Paul, Trae Young, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns filled out the Third-Team. James picked up his record 18th All-NBA nod, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan for most All-NBA picks, and became the first player in League history to make the All-NBA in his 19th+ season.

Paul is the first guard since Bryant to make an All-NBA team in his 17th+ season.

The post Nikola Jokic Headlines 2021-2022 All-NBA Teams appeared first on SLAM.

“We gotta come in with a desperate mindset and do whatever it takes to win this series,” Towns said.”The same way we got up 26 is the same way we gotta come back next game and play. This is home court; we’ve been doing a great job at home defending it. We are one of the best teams at home, so we really gotta up our chops on the line next game.”

Towns finished the game with eight points, five rebounds, and one assist. He shot 3-of-4 from the floor and only attempted one three-point shot. The backcourt of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards led the Wolves in scoring with a combined 41 points.

Towns followed up his statement by saying he has to work through the adversity and that sticking with his teammates will get them through this series.

“Stick with what got us here, believe what we’ve done all year, and continue to believe in through ups and downs like this, Towns said. “This one hurts, and we have some games like that this year and bounced back, so I just hope we can do that game four.”

The Timberwolves look to tie the series on Saturday when they play Game 4 in Target Center.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns On Game 3 Loss At Home: ‘This One Hurts’ appeared first on SLAM.

Although he scored 32 points, Morant was unhappy with his overall performance and on Instagram posted a captionless picture that featured a clip from the Last Dance where Michael Jordan spoke about can trash when they’re in the lead.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 12 (@jamorant)

The All-Star point guard had the best total floor game of his playoff career, leading Memphis to a 124-96 blowout. Despite only scoring 23 points in the game, he made his teammates better and controlled the game with a near triple-double adding nine rebounds and 10 assists. His playmaking opened up the offense and allowed seven Grizzlies players to score in the double figures.

Ja spin.
JJJ block.
JJJ three.
Ja three.

What a @memgrizz run on NBA TV!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/L5fr72yYiK

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2022

While Morant was working his magic with his teammates on the floor evening the series, his family became one of the more fun storylines of the NBA playoffs. His father has collaborated with Karl Anthony Towns’ father to add a fun trash-talking element to the series that started at the end of Game 1.

KAT and Ja’s dad’s are still talking trash to each other pic.twitter.com/stJECBnvug

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2022

For the first time in the series, Morant’s daughter, Kaari, has become a viral sensation after cameras panned her enjoying her dad’s latest exploits on the court.

This moment of @JaMorant’s daughter, Kaari

So wholesome

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/SLusGpnhuW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2022

Once his post-game on-court interview concluded, Morant motioned his daughter to join him as he carried her on his shoulders to walk back to her grandfather.

Ja and Kaari walking off in #PhantomCam after the Grizzlies Game 2 win! pic.twitter.com/Ae85LGbr8H

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2022

As the series shifts to Minnesota, Morant’s family has brought an up and personal visual of total family support for a superstar we haven’t since Stephen Curry rose to prominence during the 2014 playoffs. Something that impressed ESPN analyst Jalen Rose to the utmost earlier this week.

.@JalenRose says the NBA “is in the best position that it’s been in since Michael Jordan retired.”

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/I8i0TlrU0e

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 18, 2022

The pivotal Game 3 matchup is on Thursday, where the winner will go up 2-1 in their first-round matchup.

The post Memphis Grizzlies Even Series Led By A Ja Morant Family Affair appeared first on SLAM.

With the win, Minnesota is now tied in the win column, with the Denver Nuggets moving just a half-game out of the sixth spot to avoid the play-in tournament. The Timberwolves play the Nuggets next week in a game with significant playoff implications.

With the loss, the Mavericks missed a chance to pass the Utah Jazz for the fourth seed after the Jazz lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. Dallas and Utah have a showdown on Sunday for potential home-court advantage in the first round.

“You’ve got to be able to respond to adversity quick,” Karl-Anthony Towns said via ESPN about the importance of staying the course especially through Minnesota’s two-game losing streak, “Especially if we’re going to be in the playoffs and we’re talking about winning a championship.”

KAT posted 20 points nine rebounds on the night, leading a balanced offensive effort that featured seven Wolves players that scored in double figures.

full squad effort.

KAT – 20 pts. / 9 reb. / 1 ast. / 1 stl.
JMac – 16 pts. / 5 reb. / 3 ast.
DLo – 15 pts. / 5 reb. / 8 ast.
TP – 14 pts. / 5 reb.
Ant – 12 pts. / 6 reb. / 4 ast. / 1 stl.
Vando – 12 pts. / 6 reb. / 1 stl.
PatBev – 10 pts. / 1 reb. / 2 ast. / 1 stl. / 1 blk. pic.twitter.com/rZnvU67TAT

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 26, 2022

Despite Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic almost collecting another triple-double after finishing the night with 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks, and the highlight of the night after nutmegging a defender with a dime to Maxi Kleber for a dunk.

Luka sneaks in a bounce pass!

Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/PrL4MmbWJc

— NBA (@NBA) March 26, 2022

Minnesota made him work for everything he got, loading up defenders such as Patrick Beverley, Anthony Edwards, and Taurean Prince.

The Timberwolves start a critical four-game road trip Sunday in Boston.

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Get Closer to Playoff Position With Win Over Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

The dynamic trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards is beginning to mesh. 

During its recent stretch of success, Minnesota has emerged as a legitimate contender in the West and has the chance to avoid the play-in tournament. With a record of 42-30, the Timberwolves are on the cusp of taking over the sixth seed in the conference outright. 

This has resulted in the team playing with a ton of confidence, with Towns leading the team on both ends of the floor. 

“Any time we step on the court, we should win. Simple as that. There’s no excuse. We don’t feel that we should lose to anybody. We feel we can beat anybody. So, every time we walk into the arena, we feel we should win,” Towns told reporters on Friday. 

The Timberwolves are a team that nobody should feel comfortable matching up with in the first round of the playoffs. In the NBA, it’s all about getting hot at the right time. 

Down the final stretch of the season, Minnesota has looked like one of the best teams in the league. 

The post Timberwolves Star Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘We Can Beat Anybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

Towns shot 14-22 from the floor and 8-11 from the free-throw line, which now puts the Timberwolves five games above the .500 mark sitting at 34-29 on the season. Former All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell knew that the key to victory over the Warriors (43-19) was to keep feeding the big fella the rock.

DOMINANT.

39 and 9 for KAT pic.twitter.com/48DTTjpwAS

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 2, 2022

“Feed him, feed him, feed him. If you run out of food, feed him the fork. I don’t know. Keep feeding him.” Russell told Wolves beat reporter Dane Moore.

Russell finished the game with 20 points and seven assists.

With guard Anthony Edwards sitting out with knee tendinitis, KAT prioritized setting the tempo and raising the competitive spirits for the entire team.

“You’re playing the Golden State Warriors; you know how everyone feels about that. You wake up with a different energy and a different vibe.” Towns said to ESPN.

DLo in the 4th is automatic. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/h7QKIyqt5G

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 2, 2022

The Timberwolves will travel to Oklahoma City in a matchup against the Thunder to extend their winning streak to seven games. Through the leadership of Anthony Towns, Edwards, and Russell, the Timberwolves have emerged as a playoff threat. As of Wednesday, Minnesota is squarely in the play-in battle at the seventh seed in the Western Conference standings.

If the standings remain, the T-Wolves will make their first playoff appearance since 2018, when they were gentlemen swept by the Houston Rockets.

The post D’Angelo Russell on Karl-Anthony Towns’ Big Night: ‘Feed Him, Feed Him, Feed Him’ appeared first on SLAM.

Despite Towns’ 41 percent shooting from distance this season and 39.6 percent career average, he was considered a long shot to win. Even with the number of long-distance shots KAT attempted this season, no one counted on the Wolves center in the shoot-out. 

First Round:

The early favorites going into the competition were Trae Young, Patty Mills, and Desmond Bane.

The #MtnDew3PT contest field is stacked!

It’ll be raining triples tonight in Cleveland… tune in at 8:00pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/aL9t3nLRfV

— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022

Bane took himself out of the competition early by tallying 18 points. Then Luke Kennard set the bar for the first round dropping 28 points to put pressure on the rest of the field. Then Towns became the most significant threat for the title, surprising many by putting up 22 points of his own.

Young provided some drama of his own by almost getting eliminated in the first round. He had to finish the round with a flurry to slide past Patty Mills by one point to get into the second round with 22 points.

Final Round:

KAT was the first shooter in the finals, and the way he shot the ball, everyone in the arena, including Ice Trae and Kennard, knew the competition was over. He made history and put on a show while doing it.

Towns concluded the event in epic proportions, taking home the shoot-out trophy in historic fashion by putting up 29 points beating renowned shooters Kennard and Young. KAT’s score broke the record for most points scored in the final round previously held by Devin Booker, who scored 28 back in 2018. 

The reigning champ is not only the first center to ever win the event, but the first big man since Kevin Love in 2012 to take home the award.

Karl-Anthony Towns is a career 39.6% three-point shooter, and now he has the hardware to match

Check out some of the best three-pointers from the 2022 #MtnDew3PT Champion Karl-Anthony Towns! pic.twitter.com/sMouEd4Brz

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Makes History In NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday night, the NBA announced the eight players participating in the All-Star weekend three-point contest.

It’s a list of participants all seeking a first three-point contest championship, with most of the players participating in the event for the first time in their careers.

CJ McCollum and Zach LaVine are the veterans of the contest, with each having participated in two prior three-point contests. Trae Young is the only other player of the eight to have participated in a previous three-point contest, and this will be his second.

Karl Anthony-Towns, Fred VanVleet, LaVine, and Young, will also be playing in the All-Star Game the following night.

Patty Mills is the oldest player in the group at 33 years old, and there’s no question he can shoot the rock as a career 39.2 percent three-point shooter and is shooting 42.4 percent from distance so far this season. On the flip side, Desmond Bane – who is in his second NBA season – is the contest’s least experienced player but is shooting 42.1 percent from deep over his career.

Luke Kennard, though, maintains the highest three-point percentage of the eight players this season, knocking down 40.8 percent of his shots beyond the arc this season. Every player on the field is shooting better than 38 percent from three this season.

In addition to the three-point contest, the NBA also announced the dunk contest participants and skill challenge participants.

The NBA All-Star weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 18, with the three-point contest taking place on Saturday, Feb. 19, and the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA Announces Three-Point Contest Participants appeared first on SLAM.

Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns ended up expressing some concern over the team’s recent form, looking back on past seasons.

“We’re on a three-game slide right now in the NBA. If I know one thing about slides here in Minnesota, it could go from three to 18 to 19, 20 really quick,” Towns told reporters, including the Star Tribune’s Chris Hine, on Wednesday night.

The Timberwolves started the season 3-1, but after losing three straight to the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic, they’ve dropped to 3-4 and are tenth in the Western Conference.

Towns has had a great start to the season, averaging 23.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

The Timberwolves will have the chance to correct course on Friday night when they take on the Clippers at home for the second straight game. The Timberwolves fell to the Clippers on Wednesday night 126-115.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Expresses Concern Over Three-Game Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

Jon Krawczynski gave insight into the Timberwolves’ perspective on Simmons on The Athletic NBA Show last week. 

According to Krawczynski, Minnesota doesn’t want to trade Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns in any Simmons deal, calling those guys ‘deal-breakers’. Furthermore, while they’d be more likely to part ways with D’Angelo Russell, they’d prefer not to include him in a package for Simmons either. 

Without those three players in a deal, there’s not many appealing packages from Philadelphia’s perspective. With their desire to win now even after moving Simmons, future draft picks will only go so far. In this situation, Malik Beasley would have to be the centerpiece of the deal, which is likely why no deal has been close to this point. 

If the Timberwolves were able to pull this off, a core of Simmons, Towns, Russell and Edwards would become an immediate playoff contender. 

The Sixers have had a high asking point for Simmons to this point, so it will be interesting to see what they ultimately get in return for him. Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while making his third-straight NBA All-Star team. This is exactly why Philadelphia isn’t interested in selling low on him. 

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However, Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have been bright spots for the downtrodden franchise, with the duo making history on Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns.

In the comeback victory, Edwards dropped a career-high 42 points on 15-31 shooting from the field for Minnesota with Towns not far behind, scoring 41 points on 15-24 shooting.

The performance was just the second time in Timberwolves history in which two players scored at least 40 points in the same game, with Towns and Andrew Wiggins also accomplishing the feat in April 2017.

For Edwards in particular, the night was special as he became the third-youngest player in NBA history (19 years, 225 days) to have a 40-point performance, behind All-NBA forward LeBron James (19 years, 88 days) and Kevin Durant (19 years, 200 days). Subsequently, Edwards is also the youngest player to score 40 point in Timberwolves history.

Following his sensational outing, the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft gave perhaps the quote of the year, saying “I put in the work. I work in the dark, it should come to the light.”

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It wasn’t a move that was exactly a stunning development, as Saunders’ squad appeared far too talented on paper to be so poor of a team.

On top of that, this is an era where head coaches leashes are much shorter when it comes to franchises that have a perennial All-NBA player as it’s chief cornerstone.

Be that as it may, franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t find out about the news until everyone else did, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski:

“I learned when y’all found out. I was eating pizza with my father and the news came out and we were all shocked.”

Within an hour of the news breaking about Saunders, the Timberwolves hired former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Chris Finch as his replacement.

While drastic in-season changes could have far-reaching effects on the perception of players, Towns still sees himself being a member of the franchise for the rest of his career in a trend of loyalty that’s caught hold of this generation of players.

“I’m a very loyal guy to a fault. I would love to finish my career here in Minnesota…I want to build something great here. I want to build a legacy in Minnesota.”

Towns, a two-time All-Star, is currently averaging 22.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game while shooting .397 percent from beyond the arc. 

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For that reason, the Wolves might be interested in trading the No. 1 pick for “a win-now player,” as The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor reports.

Executives around the NBA say the Timberwolves prefer to trade down or out of this pick to bring in a win-now player to help Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.

In September, Bleacher Report‘s Jonathan Wasserman also suggested that Minnesota’s priority is to trade the No. 1 pick.

The Timberwolves must decide how well a top prospect would fit with their star duo of Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Because KAT and Russell primarily play center and point guard, respectively, it would seem to diminish the potential impact of James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball.

In Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves’ decision is no less complicated. Last season, shooting guard Malik Beasley averaged 20.7 points per game after being traded to Minnesota. The 2019-20 season was also shooting guard Jarrett Culver‘s rookie season for the Wolves.

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Twenty-three years later, Minnesota is hoping that the trio of a Saunders on the sidelines, a multi-faceted big man and a scoring guard can lead them back to NBA relevance.

When the Timberwolves drafted Kevin Garnett straight out of high school in 1995, there were questions if then-general manager Kevin McHale had lost his mind. Garnett detractors saw him as too skinny and immature to have an impact in the NBA. The story back then was, this kid might take years to develop.

It took about half a season for Garnett to start changing minds.

Garnett would go on to play over 900 regular season games over 12 seasons in his initial stint in Minnesota. (Garnett would retire as a Timberwolf in 2015-16). He established himself as the best player in franchise history.

Eventually, Garnett’s No. 21 jersey will hang in the rafters in Minnesota alongside those of Malik Sealy, who tragically died following the 1999-2000 season in a traffic accident, and Flip Saunders, who passed away in 2015 after battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Saunders took over as the Wolves’ head coach partway through Garnett’s rookie season. It was Saunders who put Garnett in the starting lineup, a position Garnett would never relinquish for his next 11 years in Minnesota.

That first year, the Wolves won 26 games. They were hardly setting the NBA world on fire, but things were starting to heat up. That summer, the accelerant was added to cause things to burst into flames.

At the 1996 NBA Draft, McHale swung a trade with the Bucks to send the draft rights to Ray Allen and a 1998 first-round pick to Milwaukee in exchange for the draft rights to Stephon Marbury. (Oddly enough, Minnesota would later reacquire that same first-round pick and use it to draft big man Rasho Nesterovic.)

Marbury came to the Wolves with the reputation of having a big game and an even bigger personality. After just one year at Georgia Tech, the New York City product declared himself ready for the NBA. The brash point guard was seen as the perfect complement to Garnett. After missing out on the playoffs in the first seven seasons of their existence, Minnesota was all-in behind their two young studs.

The results were immediately felt on the court. Marbury didn’t actually score in his first game, but Garnett had 17 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four blocks and three steals. The Wolves upset perennial playoff team San Antonio that opening night on their way to a 40-42 record and the franchise’s first playoff appearance.

For a team that hadn’t sniffed a .500 record at any point since entering the NBA as an expansion team in 1989, it was a major step forward. Getting swept by the Houston Rockets in the first round didn’t even matter. The next season, things were even better.

In 1997-98, the Timberwolves went 45-37, posting the club’s first winning season. Tom Gugliotta actually led that Minnesota in scoring before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, but it was the team’s two 21-year-olds who led the team on the floor. In his third season, Garnett had become a full-blown menace. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals and made his second All-Star appearance.

Marbury was the ideal running mate for Garnett. He ran the offense with 8.6 assists per game, while scoring 17.7 point per night. Behind the blossoming duo, Minnesota eventually pushed the Seattle SuperSonics to a decisive Game 5 in the playoffs’ first round before bowing out. The future was never brighter for the Timberwolves.

The following summer, the NBA owners would lock the players out. The previous year, Garnett and the Wolves had agreed to a six-year, $126M contract extension. That was the largest such deal in NBA history at the time. Many speculated that massive contract directly led to the lockout. For Minnesota, it would have further-reaching impacts.

By the time the abbreviated 1999 season started in early-February, Marbury was unhappy in Minnesota and requested a trade. Pending who you believe, Marbury wanted to be closer to his family in New York or wanted to play in a bigger market. Regardless, Marbury was dealt to the New Jersey Nets in mid-March, ending he and Garnett’s partnership after just two-plus seasons.

While Minnesota would retain their status as a playoff team for six more seasons, and Garnett and Marbury would both find individual success, the Wolves never became the title contender it looked like they would with the duo in place. Years later, Garnett was dealt to the Boston Celtics. As things in the NBA have a way of coming back around, Garnett and Marbury would team up in Boston for Marbury’s final NBA season in 2008-09.

Garnett would go on to play for eight more seasons, eventually reuniting with Saunders in Minnesota for the 2014-15 season. When Saunders fell ill and eventually passed, Garnett was devastated at the passing of his long-time friend and mentor.

Fast forward over 20 years, and the Wolves are again making a run at pairing a star duo of a big man and a guard with Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Once again, it’s a Saunders leading the team on the sidelines, as Flip’s son Ryan has taken over as Minnesota’s head coach.

Like it was with Garnett, the big man has a head start on the guard as the team’s franchise player. Towns is in year-one of a five-year, $158 million contract extension. So, much for Garnett’s mega-deal crippling the NBA financially for all-time!

Russell joined the Wolves after a four-year journey that saw him go from the Lakers to the Nets to the Warriors. He was signed and traded to Golden State on a four-year, $117 million deal this summer as a free agent.

That contract was always seen as a bridge deal for the Warriors, who flipped Russell to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins and a first-round pick at the trade deadline. And it helped Russell eventually get to the place he always wanted to be.

Unlike their predecessors, Towns and Russell have long-wanted to play together. The two have been close friends since before entering the league as the first and second picks of the 2015 NBA Draft. Towns and Russell even talked about teaming up this summer, when Russell was a free agent, but no deal could be struck at the time.

Towns and Russell have only played together for one game so far, as Towns suffered a fractured left wrist. That one game was encouraging as Towns and Russell combined for 45 points against the Toronto Raptors. The hope is the pair will give Minnesota a versatile offensive attack that can score both inside and outside.

There won’t be any sort of immediate playoff appearance for Minnesota’s new star duo, as the Wolves are already way behind in the playoff race for this season.

Going forward, the Wolves have faith that Ryan Saunders, Towns and Russell can form a trio to lead them back to the postseason just like Flip Saunders, Garnett and Marbury did once upon a time.

This time around, the Timberwolves hope the duo’s stay in Minnesota lasts for more than two-plus seasons.

The post KAT, D-Lo Pairing Conjures Memories Of Classic Wolves Duo appeared first on SLAM.

Russell, 24, says “you can’t put guys in a box when that’s their thing.”

Minnesota Timberwolves bench boss Ryan Saunders, however, has made it clear that midrange jumpers are “not the shot we’re striving to get.”

Per The Star Tribune:

“There’s a fine line of making those shots you take, trying to relieve the pressure off coach eliminating those shots from me,” Russell said. “But once you make them, and he feels confident with you making them, I think you can’t put guys in a box when that’s their thing.”

Russell has a point there because he made an absurd 54.9% of his long twos with Golden State this season.

“It’s going to take time to break some of those habits, and when guys do play open gym, it’s their time,” Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said during the preseason in response to a question about shot values.

“We’ve noticed a number of guys have a midrange shot, but they understand that’s not the shot we’re striving to get.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: D’Angelo Russell ‘Big Incentive’ to Stay in Minnesota

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Towns, 24, was happily “shocked” the Timberwolves were able to pull off a Russell – Andrew Wiggins swap with the Golden State Warriors ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

The T-Wolves (13-35) have lost thirteen games in a row, but their franchise cornerstone and fanbase suddenly and unexpectedly have reason to smile.

Per The Athletic:

“I’d be lying if I told you I thought it was possible,” Towns told The Athletic on Thursday. “I’m shocked like everybody else. We’ve been putting it into the universe since Day 1. We’ve never been shy about saying it in the media or interviews or wherever it may be. If you want something to happen, you have to keep believing and keep saying it to the universe and repeating it and one day the universe will hear it and give you your wish.”

He was all smiles as he surprised unwitting customers as a fill-in clerk at a Northeast Minneapolis Metro by T-Mobile store while shooting an ad campaign, then laid to rest the growing speculation about his long-term future in Minnesota.

“I think with D-Lo here, it’s always going to be a big incentive for me to want to stay,” Towns said. “D-Lo is a big part of everything the vision is. D-Lo always knows he’s going to be wanted because his brother is here with him and he always knows he’s going to have his back covered because I’m always going to be there for him.”

He was still coming to grips with the whirlwind of activity. He still couldn’t believe he was about to head to the airport to pick up his best friend.

“At the end of the day, I think it’s starting to set in that my brother’s going to be here with me,” Towns said, “and hopefully we’re going to be together for a long, long time.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘You Obviously See My Patience Running Low’

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“I’ve been losing for a long time,” a frustrated Towns told reporters Wednesday night after the Timberwolves dropped their 13th in a row, falling 127-120 to the visiting Atlanta Hawks

Making things even worse for KAT, was the decision to trade his “best friend” and teammate Robert Covington to Houston in a four-team, 12-player deal.

Per The Star Tribune and The AP:

“We just didn’t play, we didn’t execute the game plan, we didn’t do what we needed to do,” said center Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 21 points with 11 rebounds but, like the rest of the team Wednesday, was inconsistent.

“We put ourselves into a hole, tried to fight back, but it was too late,” he said.

The Minnesota Timberwolves struggled to find energy in their 13th straight loss, with their best defensive player, Robert Covington, already in his new city.

“The last 24 hours, I haven’t slept much,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who grew close to Covington after he landed in Minnesota last season following the trade that sent disgruntled Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia. Covington arrived in Houston earlier in the day.

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: Robert Covington Trade ‘Would Be Very Difficult’

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Towns considers Covington his “best friend” on the squad.

KAT says he is “very confident” in the team’s leadership.

Per The Star Tribune:

“It would hurt if the star player or player you highly regarded in the organization — if they didn’t feel confidence in the front office. I do,” Towns said. “I feel very confident in Gersson [Rosas], Ryan [Saunders] and all of them. Whatever they do, I’ll support because I know they’re trying to make the right decisions for us …

“I don’t need to be focused on everything the front office is doing or whatever the case may be because that’s not my job title and that’s something I don’t need to waste my energy and life on.”

Would Towns still be happy if Covington was one of the players the front office felt like it had to deal?

“I think it’s very obvious he’s my best friend on the team, so it would be very difficult if something like that was going to happen,” Towns said. “But like with Zach LaVine, this is a business. So like I said, I’m the one who just plays the game. I don’t get paid to make rosters and stuff like that. That’s why we have [Rosas] and them.”

Related KAT: ‘I’m Desensitized to Being Disrespected in This League’

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The big fella has missed 17 games this season—two while suspended, 15 to a left knee sprain and illness—and insists he’s solely focused on winning games for Minnesota.

KAT, in a thinly-veiled parting shot, adds that it’s shame the “24 best players in the NBA” won’t be suiting up in the midseason showcase.

Per The Star Tribune:

“I’m worried about our team, about getting W’s,” Towns said. “I’m desensitized to being disrespected in this league. I’ve been disrespected since I came in. It’s nothing new when I didn’t see my name up there. When you’re a person who’s been disrespected like me so much, it’s something you expect honestly. You’re kind of shocked when you do get it.”

When asked is he was going to use this as motivation, as a chip on his shoulder, Towns said he didn’t need it and got in a shot at this year’s game.

“I’ve had a chip since I came in,” Towns said. “I’m on a journey that goes beyond All-Stars. I’m trying to be the best of the best. I have to go out there and continue to be better and continue to find ways to win for my team and try to build a legacy.

“It’s unfortunate that this year’s All-Star Game won’t have the 24 best players in the NBA, but we got to go out there every night and just find ways to win, because it’s not about the All-Star game, it’s about being in the NBA finals, being in the playoffs, about winning games. That’s how you build a legacy. All-Star is cool and stuff for the fans, but I’m here for the people in this locker room.”

Related Timberwolves: ‘Karl-Anthony Towns is as Untouchable as They Come’

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“He’s the buy we’re building around,” says Rosas.

And KAT has pooh-poohed any rumors of a rift with the organization, insisting he wants to remain in Minnesota.

The big fella adds that he’s not sweating being named an NBA All-Star for a third consecutive year.

Per ESPN and The Star Tribune:

“Karl-Anthony Towns is as untouchable as they come,” Rosas told ESPN. “He’s the best player on our team and he’s the guy we’re building around. Everything we do is to help him become the best player and to help us become the best team we can be. He’s a special talent that we’re going to do anything possible to help him achieve his highest potential.”

The NBA will release its All-Star starters on Thursday and Karl-Anthony Towns likely won’t make the cut.

“It would be an honor. But, for me, I’m not even worried about that to tell you honestly,” Towns said. “I just worry about winning. That’s the only thing. I don’t wake and say, ‘I need to get these amount of points and these rebounds and these statistics for an All-Star bid.’ The last thing I’m thinking about is the All-Star bid. I’m trying to figure out ways to get wins for my team, my organization, and to find better ways to lead.”

Added Towns: “I don’t got time, thinking about all the other ways we could win to be thinking about All-Star bids. And that’s no offense to the committee … That’s where my mind is. My mind is about finding ways to win, finding ways to take those two bad things out the equation and have us play a complete game.”

Related GM: Timberwolves on the ‘Same Page’ With Karl-Anthony Towns

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Towns, it was whispered, was unhappy with the Timberwolves. Reports that teams like the Warriors and Knicks were monitoring the superstar’s status hit print and a narrative started to take shape.

“I don’t go for all the shit,” Towns told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, expressing his support for the team and for first-year head coach Ryan Saunders. “I know what the real story is.”

Towns was sidelined with a knee injury in mid-December. At first the prognosis was ambiguous but the injury ended up resulting in the first extended absence of his career, a total of 15 games. Just as he began to recover, he was hit with an illness that set him back further.

While Towns recovered on the sidelines (and even the hospital), there was little to assuage Wolves fans’ concerns that their latest homegrown superstar had grown unhappy.

General manager Gerssons Rosas spoke about the team’s relationship with the 24-year-old this week and how they were all on the same page but that’s a far cry from hearing from the big man himself.

On Friday, Towns set the record straight.

“I’m here to be a Minnesota Timberwolf,” Towns said, “I’m not worried about all that nonsense. Whatever we have to deal with in house, we’ll deal with in house, but this ain’t the circus like it used to be.”

The post Healthy Karl-Anthony Towns Sets Record Straight appeared first on SLAM.

Despite rumors of KAT supposedly being unhappy in Minneosta, Rosas remains “extremely confident” in the relationship with the 24-year-old franchise cornerstone.

The T-Wolves (15-26) are trudging through yet another frustrating season, and Rosas adds that he feels the fanbase’s pain.

Per The Star Tribune:

Q: What do you say to fans who haven’t tasted the playoffs but once since 2004, who might be skeptical that this is all going to eventually work out?

Rosas: “I love the passion, good or bad, that comes with the territory. And I invite it. I want the fans to know that we feel their pain, and it’s why we’re doing what we’re doing. We’re not going to do the short-term fix. We’re not going to cut corners to get a win here, a win there. Or to just make it to the playoffs one year to say we’ve arrived. That’s already been tried here. What we want to build is a sustainable model that’s going to allow us to consistently be successful to build a contending team and have success at the highest level. The reality is that’s hard. It’s hard to develop players. It’s hard to develop a philosophy. It’s hard to develop a system. I know fans are going to be skeptical. We hear the plans, the ideas, the thoughts, and some of those fans until the results come are not going to be satisfied. But I’m confident in the fans who are here with us from the beginning, who are passionate and know what it takes to bring a winner into this town, because this is a great sports town.”

Q: Another thing that fans get concerned about is they see these couple of reports pop up about Karl’s perceived unhappiness here in Minnesota. You’ve made no bones about him being the main building block here. How do you view those reports?

Rosas: “You know, the reality of it is I know in terms of what we control and that’s in this organization and this building. Everything that we’ve done is to help Karl be the best player he can be, the best person he can be. I know he really appreciates that. You look at the facts: He’s had his best season. We’re fully optimizing who he is, what he’s about. We’re challenging him as a player and as a leader to be the best that he can, and we have the potential to do something here that’s built around him to allow him to be the best player he can be. That will allow us to be the best organization and the best team we can be on the floor. We have an ownership group and a leadership group here that’s given us every resource to be successful. We’ve been aggressive at every step of the way during my short tenure here, whether it’s the draft or free agency, to bring in high-level talent. There’s going to be challenges along that path, but I’m extremely confident we’re on the same page and there’s full commitment from every level here to make this successful. There’s always noise in whatever pursuit you have. Unfortunately even though that noise is unwarranted or unconfirmed, we don’t allow that to distract us from our goal of building a championship organization here.”

Related Chatter About Karl-Anthony Towns’ Future Grows Louder

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According to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic, several executives have relayed the notion that Towns is unhappy in Minnesota and that the Golden State Warriors have been monitoring the 24-year-old superstar.

Just last week, Marc Berman of the New York Post detailed how the New York Knicks, too, have monitored Towns, a native of nearby New Jersey.

While neither scribe suggests that Towns has requested a trade or seeks out of Minnesota, it is Trade Machine Season and little is required to inspire speculation on the internet.

Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minnesota sees the Towns reports but reminds followers that the young center is in the first year of a five-year extension. Towns is owed just less than $160 million to play basketball in the Land of 10,000 Lakes through the summer of 2024.

Of course in a post-AD world, nothing is sacred and if Anthony Davis could tip over the apple cart in New Orleans with over two years left on his Pelicans deal then anything, theoretically, can happen with KAT.

The media and fans alike have every right to contemplate Towns’ future but as yet there’s no reason to believe that the situation in Minnesota is untenable.

Towns has averaged 26.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game this season, while shooting .418 from beyond the arc. He’s in the fifth year with the franchise but only reclaimed alpha dog status within the organization when the Wolves traded Jimmy Butler part-way through last season.

Perhaps there will come a time when the Timberwolves fail to retain their star – we’ve seen variations of that narrative time and again since long before Davis walked into the Smoothie King Center with a That’s All Folks t-shirt – but let’s not gloss over what’s happening right now, in the present.

Small market teams everywhere will thank you for it.

Austin Kent is the Associate Editor of @SLAMNewswire. Follow him on Twitter @AustinKent.

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The 24-year-old has been as durable as any young star in the league through the first five seasons of his career but exited the team’s Dec. 13 contest after a hard fall in the fourth quarter and hasn’t been back since.

Towns has averaged 26.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game for the Timberwolves this season and is an instrumental part of the team’s game plan on a nightly basis. For that reason, head coach Ryan Saunders understands the importance of managing the big man’s health.

“As a competitor, you want to play every game and there’s something wrong with you when you don’t want to play or don’t want more minutes,” Saunders told Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. “That’s what I always tell players. But you also need to listen to your body. You need to do what’s best for yourself and the group too in the long term. Karl, he’s always been durable and played.“

That approach won’t be easy given that the team’s current 10-game losing streak has bumped them out of the playoff picture in the West.

Minnesota plays again on Monday night and returns to action on Boxing Day.

The post Karl-Anthony Town Misses Third Straight With Knee Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Despite Minnesota’s 117-95 road loss in Philly, players were happy KAT “stood his ground.”

After being ejected, the two centers engaged in a late-night war of words, to everyone’s amusement.

Per The Athletic and Star Tribune:

“Good for KAT,” one Timberwolf texted from the locker room. “I’m happy he stood his ground.”

[Jeff] Teague had perhaps the most revealing quote of the night when it came to the fight.

“As you can see tonight, he’s got a lot of fight in him,” Teague said. “Last year, I wouldn’t say he wouldn’t do that or he would’ve took it, but he’s here to make a statement. I think tonight it just showed a lot of heart.

“I’m riding with him.”

Related Joel Embiid: ‘I Didn’t Throw Any Punches, So I Shouldn’t Get Suspended’

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“I didn’t throw any punches,” Embiid told reporters, adding that he “ain’t no bitch.”

Towns downplayed the fight following the Philadelphia Sixers’ 117-95 win against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

Per The AP:

“I didn’t throw any punches, so I shouldn’t get suspended,” Embiid said.

Embiid and Towns were tossed after a video review.

“I was built for this city,” Embiid said. “The love they have for me, I can’t thank them enough. I appreciate all the love. That reaction was probably the loudest I ever heard them. That’s what the city of Philadelphia is all about. You gotta come in here, you gotta fight, you gotta play hard, you gotta be gritty, you gotta be a Broad Street Bully. We’re gonna keep on fighting and try to accomplish the goal we have set for us.”

Embiid shadowboxed to the crowd’s delight on his way back to the locker room. Fans responded with “MVP!” chants.

“It’s a competitive game. As a team, we need to play better with our system. We didn’t execute our game plan,” he said. “I’m disappointed in the (loss). I don’t think we played our game. We were playing a different type of basketball. It wasn’t what got us to 3-0. We can learn a lot from this game.”

Related Multiple-Game Suspensions Possible After Karl-Anthony Town, Joel Embiid Fight

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In a throwback to yesteryear, both Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns were given early exits from their Wednesday night contest after getting tangled up in the paint and triggering a game-stopping brouhaha.

Video from the incident shows Towns and Embiid heatedly grappling with each other and Towns throwing what appears to be a clear punch before eventually wrestling to the ground.

Given that each team plays their next game on Saturday, ESPN’s Bobby Marks expects the league to take a thorough approach to how they dish out suspensions for the two main players involved. Marks, whose resume includes a stint in the front office of the Brooklyn Nets prior to becoming a sports analyst, says that hoops fans are “likely looking at multi-games for each”.

That’s not to say that Towns and Embiid will be the only ones who receive any form of punishment for their role in the ensuing kerfuffle. Multiple players from both teams were involved, either participating in the action or attempting to break it up.

Ben Simmons at one point held Towns in an apparent choker hold, prompting the Timberwolves big to tap.

The post Multiple-Game Suspensions Possible After Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid Fight appeared first on SLAM.

New NBA and NCAA seasons are here, and we’ve got you covered with our preview issue. SLAM 224 features big stories on the League’s coolest family (D’Angelo Russell, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns), the Pelicans exciting core (Zion Williamson, Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram), a young sharpshooter in Atlanta (Kevin Huerter) and a blossoming forward in Boston (Jaylen Brown). The mag also spotlights Oregon’s superstar Sabrina Ionescu, Duke’s freshman Wendell Moore and has early rankings of all the top squads in men’s and women’s college hoops. Pull-out poster is of Jimma Gatwech at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 2 and Giannis at the FIBA World Cup.

Head to our online store to cop, peep the cover stories at the links below and stay posted for more dope content over the next few weeks!

Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: The NBA’s Goodfellas

WELCOME TO THE PARTY: The New Orleans Pelicans Are In the Building

The post SLAM 224 Is On Sale Now 🚨 appeared first on SLAM.

While shooting the cover for SLAM 224, Book, D-Lo and KAT sat down to play SLAM UP, and it was everything!

Watch the full flick above to find out who won.

RELATED: Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: THE NBA’s GOODFELLAS

The post SLAM UP: KAT, Book and D-Lo Go HEAT-TO-HEAD appeared first on SLAM.

“For us, at this point, it’s bigger than basketball,” Devin Booker says, with D’Angelo Russell sitting to his right and Karl-Anthony Towns sitting to his left. “We know each other’s families. This is way bigger than the game.”

Three of the NBA’s youngest, brightest stars are friends for real. Not the hi-bye type of stuff. The “What-are-you-doing-after-this-photoshoot?” type of energy, like Booker asked Towns after they spent an entire afternoon together at a studio in midtown Manhattan. The all-day, all-night texting kind of friendship. The laugh at and fight about memories flow. The know-each-other-so-well-that-they-can-make-each-other-get-emotional level of camaraderie.

Booker, Towns and Russell are the League’s newest, coolest family. And they know it.

“We gotta do this again, when we’re all on the same team,” Russell jokes toward the end of the day. “Nah, don’t cut it,” he says to our rolling cameras. “Y’all got it on footage. When we’re all on the same team—I ain’t gonna tell you which team because I don’t know—we’re gonna do this again.”

This isn’t the first time that SLAM has linked up with these three. We shot Towns right after he won the 2016 Rookie of the Year, out in L.A., for a pair of covers. One of those featured him in a Kevin Garnett jersey. A trip to Phoenix followed in 2017, with a clean cover that chronicled Booker. And then Russell’s cover, an instant classic, in March of this year. DLoading, with BKLYN across his chest, a snarl and a crown, paying homage to The Notorious B.I.G.

This trio, they’re all connected to each other, ever since back in the day. They’re on a journey together, even when they’re not together. Because they’re always together. They’re basketball’s modern goodfellas.

“You know, we always called each other goodfellas,” the famous line from the movie goes. “Like, you said to somebody, ‘You’re gonna like this guy. He’s alright. He’s a good fella. He’s one of us.’ You understand? We were goodfellas.”

—

We’re in the middle of Koreatown, in the beginning of September, on the fourth floor of a building that’s sandwiched between karaoke bars, delis and tourist shops. Thousands of people frantically shuffle around the blocks just outside, not knowing that three NBA players are up here getting fits off. (What’s good, @leaguefits???)

Things are pretty relaxed, even with the three all-world hoopers up here. Russell and Booker get shape-ups in the corner. Towns has taken control of the music. He’s decided to run through a bunch of Mac Miller songs. He dribbles around a little bit, until Jess Holtz, who’s worked with all three since they were drafted in 2015, tries to guard up. Towns catches her with a nasty behind-the-back combo and she reaches for it.

Loss of body control.

Laughter fills the space, with Towns running to show Booker the clip of it. It’s a moment that happens with kids all across the country—something hilarious or embarrassing goes down and they jet over to their friends to laugh about it until it hurts. It’s just that the kid who did this particular move has an NBA ROY trophy to his name and the kid who’s being shown this particular video scored 70 points against the Celtics as a 20-year-old.

Towns (23 years old), Booker (22, though he’ll turn 23 on Oct. 30) and Russell (23) are stacking the accomplishments in the League.

The Timberwolves big man has that ROY, two All-Star appearances, an All-NBA nod in 2018 and is coming off a season in which he averaged 26 points and 13 boards.

Booker hit that 70 a few years ago, made the All-Rookie First Team in 2016, has upped his scoring and assists numbers every season and has transitioned to becoming a hybrid point guard/shooting guard combo, fully capable of dropping 30 points whenever he wants or dishing out 10 dimes at will.

Russell’s made it through a few storms in his career to become an All-Star. He led the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs last season, singlehandedly reviving the franchise as a highly skilled and efficient point guard who was never afraid in the clutch.

They recognize and acknowledge that their time in the League has been different and that is what has made it special.

“It’s cool how we all went our separate ways and had that ambition to make it to the top,” Russell says.

These are relationships that have been formed over years of life on the road, when nobody else would be able to truly understand what they were going through. The only people they could relate to were each other.

“I remember this dude, Devin,” Russell says. “We were at Elite camp. Everybody’s coming from all different types of places and everybody has their own gear. I remember I had some knee pads. And they were his colors back home. So my dude, he was like, I need those, I need those. And they were all rugged. They were worn out. And he was like, I need those. He done cut it and flipped it up and they looked ready to go. That’s my first memory.”

“I’ve been watching D’Angelo play since, like, sixth or seventh grade,” Booker remembers. “Before we knew each other, I was watching him play. I was on a low-level team. We’d play in one of the sorry brackets and I’d be sitting on the side of the court, watching the top players play.”

That’s been Booker’s story. He didn’t get minutes as a rookie with the Suns until late in the season. He only averaged 10 points per game while at Kentucky. And it took him a minute to work his way up into the national spotlight as a prospect. But he eventually did it.

“I met Book for the first time at NBPA 100 Camp in Virginia,” Towns says. “I remember just seeing a really, really pale white kid. Turned out he wasn’t white but that’s what I thought. They said he could shoot the ball better than anybody. I came late to the camp and I talked to him about Kentucky. I had heard his name before, too. I knew he was interested in Kentucky. Just feeling his vibe out that day. Obviously in college is where we really blossomed a special relationship.”

“My first memory of Karl, I was at NBPA Top 100 Camp and we always heard about him,” Booker confirms. “I had never seen him play. I still didn’t see him play there. He showed up to the camp, he took all the gear, he went home. He didn’t play not one game.”

They go on to argue about what really happened. Towns calmly says he showed up for the last day and played in two games. Booker promises, with tons of laughter, that’s not the truth.

No matter what actually happened that day, both Booker and Russell are adamant in saying that Towns has been dominating since they met him. They talk about his skill level and his poise and they predict that one day he’ll be the president of the NBPA. They’re right, too. Towns, older than both Booker and Russell, is extremely articulate, whether he’s talking hoops, sneakers or his brotherhood. And he has plans for the future. He wants to leave a legacy on and off the court, “to change the game as a big man.”

“He knows what to say and at the same time when he gets on the court, it’s domination,” Booker says. “It’s kinda hard to have both of those in players. And he has that.”

“I’m like, This dude’s the No. 1 pick in the draft,” Russell says about Towns. “Not when I first met him but when I first worked out with him. Like, this dude’s the No. 1 pick in the draft.”

Russell’s intuition would go on to be correct. Towns went first in 2015 and Russell was right behind him, getting selected with the second pick by the Lakers.

“I met D-Russ for the first time, we were playing against each other in New Jersey,” Towns says. “It was Montverde vs St. Joe’s. Here comes this number-one-wearing guy, lefty, that they talked a lot about.”

Montverde won the matchup. “We kicked your ass,” Russell says under his breath.

“Me and him, the relationship hit off earlier in high school because we were the young kids getting invited to older camps,” Booker says of Russell. “We’d have roommates and we’d ask our roommates could they switch so we could be in the room together. I remember us sitting and talking about what college we wanted to go to, things like that.”

“I would say we talk about basketball, maybe, about 25 percent of our conversations,” Towns says. “And it’s not really, like, basketball-deep. It’s just generic things around the basketball world.”

The rest of that time, including living together during the draft process, is dedicated to stuff that Towns doesn’t want to share.

“I got a lot of stories but I can’t say,” he grins. “Just know the Banana Boat V2 has been doing very well since day one.”

There’s a moment when they’re taking photos together that Booker, without being asked to, grabs onto Towns and Russell. He brings them in close and smiles real, real big. They smile, too. Genuine, I-actually-mess-with-you-guys, smiles.

They’ve been raising each other up throughout our time at the studio, complimenting each other’s fits, offering advice, asking for a certain song to be played, talking about something, giggling about nothing.

“This is crazy,” Russell says. “They my dogs right there. They my dogs.”

Towns, speaking poetically about Russell, almost made the lefty cry. It was time for reflection, time to think about the past, present and the future, everything that has already been done and everything that is still to come.

Minnesota’s big man can see them all being champions in 10 years.

“We all got the drive,” Towns says. “All we know is how to win.”

“Right now, especially the stars, they know who the next generation is and it’s our job in the next 10 years to make that come to fruition,” Booker continues. “I think we’re all on the same page with that. We’re gonna have to win.”

And in speaking about the past, that’s when three of the League’s tuffest killas have the most to share.

“We’re on covers,” Russell beams. “Can we go back to that? Like, we really did this, man. A lot of people take this for granted.”

“We all had different paths in the League, too,” Booker says. “For me not playing at first, to D’Angelo being with the Lakers, in and out of the lineup. Karl, dominating from day one. It’s just all different paths. We’ve all been through a lot but to finally be here, all in one room with our own covers and now all on one cover together, this is gonna be all over my house.”

Booker and Towns stand up and start to get ready for a few more photos that are set to follow. But Russell stays seated.

“Ayyy, I love y’all, man,” he says to Towns and Booker. “We did this. I’m about to cry over here. I’m emotional, man. This isn’t normal. I’m gonna let this marinate for a second, this little aura we created. I’m gonna sit in this little bubble for a little longer.”

Together, no matter what, no matter where.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 224 FEATURING DLO, BOOK AND KAT HERE

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

Styling by Browne Andrews.

Art by Tyrrell Winston.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: THE NBA’s GOODFELLAS appeared first on SLAM.

The T-Wolves plan to fly under the radar and sneak back into the playoffs, according to Towns.

“My confidence was born in the gym,” says KAT.

Per The Undefeated:

“Everyone always sleeps on people in Minnesota because they don’t hear our name a lot,” Towns, who was named a 2019 NBA Western Conference All-Star, told The Undefeated. “That’s fine. That’s cool. We are going to come from the underground and just find ourselves in the playoffs if we continue to do what we’re doing.”

“It’s fine. Keep sleeping on us.”

How good can the Wolves be?

KAT: “We can be as good as we want to be, as long as we stay cohesive, we stay unified and continue to play the game we play on a nightly basis. … It’s easy to win one game. It’s hard to win most of the games in an 82-game season. Obviously, if we are blessed with health and play basketball the way we know we can play basketball, we will be just fine.”

After getting a taste of the playoffs in 2018, how tough was it not to be a part of the postseason last season?

KAT: “It’s always tough not to be in the playoffs. I live for the playoffs. I have won a lot in my life. And I have expected nothing less in the NBA since day one in training camp as a rookie. … I had a great time in the playoffs, and I learned a lot more things that people don’t get to learn. I learned how to do things to benefit the team as best as possible.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I Have to Be Aggressive and I Have to Shoot the Ball’

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘It’s Fine. Keep Sleeping on Us’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I need to shoot,” says Towns, who averaged 24.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Timberwolves in 2018-19.

KAT adds that being a facilitator is his natural inclination, but that Minnesota needs him to look for his shot in order to be successful.

Per The Star Tribune:

“I love getting people involved in the game and stuff, but you also have to understand what your team needs and I need to shoot,” Towns said. “So I’ve got to do what’s best for us and what’s best for us is being aggressive at all times.” nee

If what’s best for the Wolves means shooting more threes, that’s what Towns will do. Among Wolves players who appeared in at least 20 games last year, Towns was the team’s best three-point shooter at 40%.

“We do [want him shooting more threes],” [head coach Ryan] Saunders said. “We don’t just want to be a team that relies on one type of action though. You’ll see him a little bit in different places on the court.”

Towns won’t force his three-point attempts just to get his numbers there. The same goes for him as a shooter overall. Or as he puts it, “being aggressive but not being stupid as well.”

“That’s my naturalist state,” Towns said of his role as facilitator of the offense. “Thirteen shots [in Tuesday night’s preseason loss], even for me, I felt I didn’t shoot a lot of time when I should have and got someone open. I still want to do what I love to do, which is get people involved in the game and try to make everyone better, but at the same time for me, for us to win, I have to be aggressive and I have to shoot the ball.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: Tom Thibodeau’s Player Development a ‘Slap in the Face’

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I Have to Be Aggressive and I Have to Shoot the Ball’ appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins, 24, “worked really hard this summer” and is feeling extremely confident going into training camp.

He adds that he’s looking forward to playing a full season for Ryan Saunders (“a players’ coach.”)

Per Sportsnet (via SKOR North):

“I feel like my first three years I was on the rise and was getting better and better and then some changes were made,” Wiggins said. “I worked really hard this summer, and I’m as confident as I was when I first came into the league.”

The change Wiggins referred to is likely the big move Thibodeau made in the summer of 2017 to acquire Jimmy Butler, a player Thibodeau helped coach and develop while with the Chicago Bulls.

“All the yelling and stuff, I feel, is not going to really change my mood,” Wiggins said of what style of coaching gets the best out of him. “But when a coach comes at me and is real and tells me the real I feel like I respect that a lot more than anyone just yelling. Because anyone can yell, anyone can raise their voice, but not a lot of people can be real. So that goes a long way for me.”

At only 33 years old, Saunders is the youngest coach in the NBA, something that Wiggins says has helped acclimate himself to the Timberwolves players well.

“He’s a players’ coach for sure,” said Wiggins. “He has a great energy about him and I feel like a lot of guys can relate because he’s not too much older than us and I feel like he gets us.”

Related T-Wolves GM: Andrew Wiggins Has ‘Got to Be a Main Contributor’

The post Andrew Wiggins: ‘I’m as Confident as I Was When I First Came Into the League’ appeared first on SLAM.

Rosas says Wiggins needs to play a more consistent brand of basketball heading into his sixth NBA season.

Minny’s braintrust is hopeful the 24-year-old can thrive in head coach Ryan Saunders‘ system and create a formidable 1-2 punch with All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Per The Star Tribune:

“Andrew in particular with his talent and physical abilities, the potential he’s shows, we’ve got to get that on a more consistent basis,” Rosas said. “He’s focused on it as well. In order for us to have the success we want to have, he’s got to be a main contributor. He understands that, we understand that.”

To Rosas, some factors that contribute to this inconsistency has been out of Wiggins’ control, like the number of coaches he has had during his young career. Rosas is hopeful having Ryan Saunders as his head coach, along with the changes the Wolves are making in terms of player development, will remove that uncertainty from the equation.

“To be fair to him, he needs some continuity in terms of coaching, philosophy, strategy and style of play,” Rosas said. “We think he’s going to be one of the better beneficiaries of this style of play. His physical tools, talent and skill. We do feel there’s a lot of upside for him. He’s worked very hard this summer. He’s been committed to everything that we’ve done.”

Related Andrew Wiggins: ‘The Last Couple Years Haven’t Been the Best for Me’

The post T-Wolves GM: Andrew Wiggins Has ‘Got to Be a Main Contributor’ appeared first on SLAM.

Towns, 23, is thrilled to play under new bench boss Ryan Saunders.

KAT, who inked a five-year max extension last summer, adds that he feels good about Minnesota’s chances in the hunt for top-flight free agents.

Per WCCO:

“I think that I’m very blessed that I have a great front office. I have a great coaching staff,” Towns told WCCO’s Cory Hepola during a live interview at his summer camp. “We think we have the best coaching staff possibly in the game right now from a talent, experience and just culture standpoint. And the culture we’re building here is something special. So I’m a very happy. I’m very glad now we’re introducing [rookies Jarrett] Culver and [Jaylen] Noel to a culture that we possess now. You know, I don’t think the situation before it would’ve been very beneficial for them.”

While clearly referencing the Tom Thibodeau-led Timberwolves, Towns talked about how he felt it held back the development of the players.

“And that’s a disrespect and a slap in the face to their development, you know, and I want to make sure that they develop not only as players, but as human beings and as men. And, uh, you know, that’s what we’re here to do. And in Minnesota, the thing, one of the biggest things where Ryan and with me is like, we have to make sure our culture is not based on just basketball. This is a family atmosphere. Everything we do here in Minnesota has to be able to have a family. A family backing and a family thought process. And building people’s personalities, characters and showing them more of themselves. And you’re more than basketball.”

[D’Angelo] Russell ended up signing with Golden State, but Towns feels good about where the team is in its pursuit of new players.

“I think that what the Wolves fans are seeing though now is that people, they felt that were untouchable, people that they thought were never would to think of us are thinking”, said Towns. “And that’s because of, you know, our front office being so great … everybody, and our coach Ryan Saunders. I’m telling these players and for the players to see a person they really want to play for. It’s just another testament to the talent that we had, we possessed as a team.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns Stunned By Tom Thibodeau’s Firing

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: Tom Thibodeau’s Player Development a ‘Slap in the Face’ appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins says he will be “back on track” in 2019-20.

The 24-year-old is excited to play in new Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders‘ offense.

Per The Pioneer Press:

“I feel like I was at a good pace, and then the last couple years haven’t been the best for me,” Wiggins said last week. “The main thing for me is to get back on track.”

He noted how Saunders put the ball in his hands more late last season, and, subsequently, Wiggins’ aggressiveness increased.

“I feel like I was getting back into a really good groove,” Wiggins said, “and the confidence and everything was there.”

Karl-Anthony Towns said that, with their contracts, the responsibility belongs to he and Wiggins to take the Wolves as far as they can go. It’s time for Wiggins to shoulder more of that load.

“I feel confident in the changes we made this year, this summer,” Wiggins said. “And I feel confident that I’ll be back on track this season.”

Related Andrew Wiggins: ‘I Didn’t Have the Best Season’

The post Andrew Wiggins: ‘The Last Couple Years Haven’t Been the Best for Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kemba Walker, named to the All-NBA Third Team will now be eligible for 35% of the team’s salary cap in a new max deal if he stays with Charlotte. Similarly Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will be eligible for 35% in the event that they sign designated veteran extensions.

Lillard can sign one that would take effect in 2021-22 this summer while Antetokounmpo would have to wait until 2020.

The biggest omissions include Klay Thompson and Bradley Beal, two guards on the fringe of being named to one of the teams. Had Thompson made the cut he would have been eligible for 35% in the first year of a designated veteran contract. Had Beal made the cut, he could have signed a designated veteran extension effective as of 2021-22.

Another player impacted by his absence on this list is Karl-Anthony Towns who will not be eligible for 30% of the cap in the first year of his rookie scale extension that starts next season.

Original Story: The NBA is set to unveil its 2018-19 All-NBA first, second and third teams today, fortifying the legacy of 15 of the league’s top stars. More than just a fancy new line on each player’s resume, however, such an honor can have a direct impact on an individual’s pocket book.

Being named to an All-NBA team is different than most league accolades due to recently introduced designated veteran contract mechanics which allow qualified individuals to earn as much as 35% of the salary cap in certain situations.

While some players with big pay days looming like Giannis Antetokounmpo are locks to earn a bid on on an All-NBA team, other players outside of the MVP conversation but still instrumental to their teams will wait eagerly for the results.

First of all, a player is eligible to sign a designated veteran contract if they’ve logged at least eight years of NBA service time and either a) earned an All-NBA team in the most recent season or b) earned two of them over the past three seasons.

That means pending free agents Klay Thompson and Kemba Walker – both nine year vets – could raise their potential ceilings in free agency this summer if they’re named to one of the All-NBA teams later today.

If they do, they’ll be eligible to earn 35% of the salary cap in the first year of their new deals, otherwise they’ll be limited to 30%. Based on the current 2019-20 NBA salary cap projections that’s a difference of over $5 million in the first year of their new deals alone.

Additionally, players with at least seven years of service time who meet the same standards will qualify to sign a designated veteran extension starting at the end of their current contract. Damian Lillard, for example, could unlock a hefty pay raise in the likely event that he finds himself on one of the three teams.

In such a scenario, Lillard could extend his current deal that ends in 2020-21 and score well north of $40 million annually through 2024-25.

While the aforementioned Antetokounmpo won’t be eligible to sign such an extension until he has seven years of service time under his belt, simply earning an All-NBA nod this year will put him in position to sign one in 2020 because he was also named to an All-NBA team last year.

Another example of the designated veteran mechanics at work – or in this case specifically not at work – Kevin Durant will hit free agency this summer but will be eligible to sign for 35% regardless of whether he met the criteria or not. That’s because players with ten years of service time are eligible to sign for that amount regardless.

Finally, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors documented last fall, Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns could earn himself a substantial increase to his upcoming rookie scale extension just by being named to an All-NBA team.

In the event that Towns does earn a nod, he’ll make 30% of the salary cap in 2019-20 as opposed to 25%. Over the course of the contract, that jump would equal more than $20 million.

The post The Financial Impact of All-NBA Nods appeared first on SLAM.

Butler has no regrets about his messy exit from Minny, and insists he would “do nothing over.”

The 29-year-old NBA All-Star knows he is “in a good place” with the Philadelphia Sixers, and dares critics to overlook them in the playoffs.

Per The NY Times:

“They’re going to boo me,” Butler said of the Minnesota fans who watched him force his way out of town via a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in November — months after Butler led the woebegone Timberwolves to their first playoff berth in 14 seasons.

“I would boo me, too. I’m not going to lie to you.”

Those who have spent any time around the rugged swingman surely don’t doubt it. At a time when N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver openly frets about player happiness — and when standouts such as Boston’s Kyrie Irving and Golden State’s Kevin Durant routinely rail against the approach of some of the news media — Butler is the rare star who savors the game’s edgy side and has embraced his portrayal as a villain.

“Oh, I love it,” Butler said in a phone interview, throwing in a profanity for emphasis. “I love it. I love it. Who wants to be loved all the time?

“It’s O.K. It’s fine. I don’t need everybody to like me. I know who I am. I can’t say that enough. I know what I’m about. I know where my heart is. People will say, ‘He’s this way, or he’s that way,’ but nobody knows except for the people around me every day. Ask them and they’ll tell you differently.”

Related ‘I Do Want to Beat Those Guys’: Jimmy Butler Enjoys Win vs Minny

The post ‘I Would Boo Me, Too’: Jimmy Butler Prepared for Minnesota Return appeared first on SLAM.

Like we’ve often done, we’ll start off with the League’s premier footwear kings, Montrezl Harrell and P.J. Tucker. Trezz went double-duty with a pair of the Air Jordan VII Retro “Marvin the Martian” and the funky Nike LeBron 11 EXT “King’s Crown.” For Tuck, another one of his March Madness favorites was on his feet, as he donned the classic Nike Air Force Max 93.

Nike Hyperdunks were once again a prominent wear and Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with two custom Hyperdunk X bangers including a Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 themed pair. Justin Jackson used his Hyperdunk X Lows to call attention to World Down Syndrome Day and Kevin Love wore a fresh pair of PEs that tied back to the Cavs’ City uniforms. On the vintage tip, Josh Richardson took it back with the “Puerto Rico” edition of the Hyperdunk ’08.

Plenty of newer looks were also on display as Jayson Tatum came with a new colorway of the Nike Adapt BB, Kyle Kuzma rocked a Lakers’ colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro, LeBron James went with another PE model of his LeBron 16s and Greg Monroe came with the “Cactus Jack” Air Jordan XXXIII.

With all of Tuesday’s heat rock around the League, make sure you get caught up on all the sneaker action below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Towns and a team trainer were rear-ended by a semi-truck en route to the airport. Towns entered the concussion protocol and missed two games, breaking his streak of 303 starts in his four-year career. He is expected to play tonight against the Kings tonight.

Towns, 23, is averaging 23.1 points and 12.0 rebounds this season.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Says He’s ‘Blessed to be Alive’ After Car Accident appeared first on SLAM.

Before the Wolves acquiesced to Butler’s desire to play elsewhere by shipping him off to the 76ers, the 29-year-old wing “bullied” young KAT, according to Kentucky Coach John Calipari.

“I bet that environment was so uncomfortable for him. First of all, he and Jimmy are totally different people — how they were brought up, their likes and dislikes, how they approach competition. You have one guy on this side and one guy on the other side.” […]

“There are power struggles all the time in [the NBA]. If a guy can bully you, he will bully you. And that’s what Jimmy did to Karl. C’mon, that’s the league.”

KAT did have an ally in Rose, who, according to Calipari, “got Karl through that whole Butler mess.”

When Towns went through spurts of passivity, such as only attempting 10 shots in a game, Rose encouraged his teammate.

“We need more from you,” [Rose] told Towns bluntly. […]

“He’s so mindful of everything I’ve told him,” Rose explains. “So many young guys are stubborn, hard-headed. They know everything. KAT’s not like that. He listens.”

Unsurprisingly though, Butler wasn’t a huge fan of Coach Cal’s “bully” comments.

“I don’t think bully is a good word,” Butler told ESPN. […]

“He can call me a bully, but when [Calipari] sees me, I’m gonna confront him about it,” Butler continued. “If I’m a bully, I’m gonna bully him, too. I’ll tell him how I feel, just like I’d tell anyone else.”

Thankfully, this whole saga is behind us.

RELATED:
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The post Derrick Rose Helped KAT Deal with Jimmy Butler appeared first on SLAM.

In his first game against the Clippers at Staples Center, Blake Griffin took his revenge.

Griffin dropped a game-high 44 points (on 23 shots) with 8 boards, 5 dimes and 3 steals as the Pistons handed the Clippers their second straight loss.

The former “Clipper for Life” refused to shake owner Steve Balmer’s hand after warming up—causing NBA twitter to erupt. But after the game, Griffin said that running straight to the locker room has always been part of his pregame routine.

Grizzlies 108 (19-23), Heat 112 (21-20)

Miami squandered a 13-point third quarter lead but was able to outlast the Grizz in crunch time.

Justise Winslow stepped up and had a game-high 26 points (on 16 shots) with 7 boards, 4 dimes and a +23 plus/minus.

Celtics 103 (25-17), Magic 105 (18-24)

Boston had a 12-point lead in the third quarter and watched it all slip away as the Magic outscored the Celtics by 13 in the second half.

Aaron Gordon had a game-high 28 points (on 14 shots) with 12 boards as Orlando snapped a four-game losing streak.

Thinking he should have gotten the final shot with a chance to win the game, Kyrie Irving called his teammates in the locker room, saying his young teammates don’t know what it takes to be a championship-level team.

Pelicans 106 (20-23), Wolves 110 (21-22)

Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 27 points and a career-high 27 boards and blocked Anthony Davis twice in crunch time as the Wolves picked up a win with potential playoff implications.

The win was the second of the Ryan Saunders era, and the Wolves are seemingly playing with new life and energy.

The Pelicans, on the other hand, continue to be dreadful on the road, where they’re just 5-17 on the season.

Spurs 112 (25-19), Thunder 112 (26-16)

OKC got their usual contributions from Russ, PG and Steven Adams, but it was Dennis Schroder and Adbel Nader who sparked the Thunder to victory.

Schroder scored all 19 points in the second half, and Nader shot 6-6 for 15 points.

It was a nice bounce-back win for OKC after losing three straight.

Russ made him #TOUCHEARTH (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/2q2JDjEp2c

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 13, 2019

Nuggets 93 (28-13), Suns 102 (11-33)

Not many people saw this coming. Phoenix, without Devin Booker, took down the No. 1 team in the West and led by as much as 18 in the third quarter.

Kelly Oubre tied a career-high with 26 points and added 11 rebounds off the bench.

Hornets 97 (19-22), Kings 104 (21-21)

Charlotte committed an uncharacteristic 20 TOs en route to their fifth loss in the last 6 games.

De’Aaron Fox led the way for Sacramento, finishing with 21 points, 7 boards, 4 dimes and 3 steals.

Bulls 102 (10-32), Jazz 110 (22-21)

A close game throughout, it wasn’t until mid-way through the fourth quarter that the Jazz were finally able to pull away.

Donovan Mitchell recorded his third straight 30-point game, finishing with a game-high 34 points and a +20 plus/minus.

The win was Quin Snyder’s 200th as head coach of the Jazz, and Kyle Korver passed Jason Terry for fourth all-time in made three-pointers.

Chicago has now lost seven straight.

The post Post Up: Blake Griffin Gets Revenge Against the Clippers 😤 appeared first on SLAM.

Karl-Anthony Towns says “no one saw it coming.”

Last week, Karl Anthony Towns told an assistant coach it felt good to have some stability within the franchise. "I jinxed that badly," Towns said Monday.@espn story on the first 24 hours for the Wolves post-Thibodeau: https://t.co/CD1mU9hx4j

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 7, 2019

Thibs was let go following a 108-86 home win.

Per ESPN:

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns said Monday that “no one saw it coming” when asked about the firing of coach and team president Tom Thibodeau the day before.

In fact, Towns said he told assistant coaches just last week that he felt the organization was gaining some much-needed “stability” and that he was finally feeling comfortable within his team’s schemes. “I jinxed that badly,” Towns said Monday, after the Timberwolves (19-21) gathered for their first practice without Thibodeau’s familiar, gravelly voice leading the drills.

CEO Ethan Casson and general manager Scott Layden fired Thibodeau in the coach’s office immediately after the 108-86 home win. Thibodeau, and his former players, were all caught off guard. Towns and Andrew Wiggins were notified of Thibodeau’s firing by phone. Towns said he was not given a clear explanation as to why.

“We had just celebrated a good win, so we all went home thinking the day was over,” Towns said. “It was just beginning.”

Related
Timberwolves Fire Tom Thibodeau

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Stunned By Tom Thibodeau’s Firing appeared first on SLAM.

Langston Galloway and Spencer Dinwiddie have proven to be the most consistent this season when it comes to rocking customs and both showed out with their latest pieces. Galloway went with a Christmas theme as his design featured both Frosty the Snowman from the 1969 animated film and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer from the 1948 classic. Dinwiddie went with a more modern approach as he rocked a Black Panther/Thanos number of his K8IROS Kronos.

Galloway and Dinwiddie weren’t the only ones flexing their custom might. Karl-Anthony Towns paid homage to Prince and “Purple Rain” with his Nike Hyperdunk X and Heat’s towering duo of Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo served up another pair of Miami-themed versions of the Air Jordan XIV Retro and Nike LeBron 12, respectively.

On the topic of Miami and LeBrons, Lauri Markkanen continued his LeBron parade with the grail-worthy “Miami Nights” Nike LeBron 8 V/2 Low. Over his last several games, Markkanen has made it abundantly clear that his ‘Bron sneaker collection is one of the best in the League. But Markkanen is going to have to keep it up if he wants to contend with Montrezl Harrell, who also went the LeBron route and wore a pair of the Nike LeBron 12 Low “LeBronald Palmer” in addition to the SneakersnStuff x Reebok Question “15 Stars” which released back in 2014.

And if that wasn’t enough, Kobe fans were treated to Tobias Harris’ Nike Zoom Kobe V “Lower Merion,” Trey Lyles’ Nike Zoom Kobe VI “Grinch,” DeMar Derozan’s Nike Zoom Kobe 1 FTB and De’Aaron Fox’s Nike Kobe 9 Elite “Christmas.”

For all these and more, make sure to peep our latest NBA kicks recap below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Taylor adds that Minnesota “wasted some time” trying to convince the All-Star shooting guard to recant his trade request, which was fulfilled last week.

“We have to play at least 10 games and then we would see which teams were meeting their goals, which teams weren’t and the teams that weren’t we thought we'd have a better chance to negotiate." T-Wolves owner Glen Taylor on trading Butler, Thibs' status: https://t.co/wlrpiRsDbE

— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) November 14, 2018

Taylor believes the T-Wolves, health-permitting, can still be a “darn good team.”

Per the Star Tribune:

“It just appeared that they weren’t working together as a team or as a unit the way that they should’ve. I can’t exactly answer why,” Taylor said. “The only thing that was different that we had was Jimmy’s position of leaving the team. Maybe that was affecting guys more than they even knew themselves.”

[Taylor] said the Wolves’ slow start and miserable 0-5 road trip wasn’t the main catalyst behind trading Butler. But Taylor added the trade might have gone down around this time anyway, the product of an agreement among him, the coaching staff and Butler to play at least 10 games of the regular season and evaluate where the Wolves were and what the league’s temperature was relative to making a deal for Butler.

“We have to play at least 10 games and then we would see which teams were meeting their goals, which teams weren’t and the teams that weren’t we thought we would have a better chance to negotiate,” Taylor said. “We were preparing ourselves to do this anyway. But certainly, I guess if we would’ve won all five games out there, it might have been different.”

Taylor said he was “not satisfied” with the 4-9 start of the season, though he added, “I don’t think it was all under our control. I wish it would’ve been more under our control, but I think we saw Jimmy had an agenda and we had to work around that.”

Related
Kevin Garnett: T-Wolves Owner ‘Doesn’t Know Sh*t About Basketball’

The post Timberwolves Owner: Jimmy Butler ‘Had an Agenda’ appeared first on SLAM.

Towns says camaraderie and fun are key ingredients for teams to succeed.

Karl-Anthony Towns tells ESPN he wants the Timberwolves to find joy again. “I am just trying to bring a different culture into Minnesota.” https://t.co/cacagLBu0H

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) November 15, 2018

The T-Wolves are 2-0 since trading Butler to the Philadelphia Sixers.

Per ESPN:

“All those teams I was on that were successful were the ones that everyone had love for each other and had fun,” Towns told ESPN. “Things that seem minuscule — joking around, laughing, conversing, all those things that seem childish — that is what builds camaraderie.”

The locker room aura has become lighter since Butler’s locker was cleaned out and replaced with Luol Deng’s nameplate. Towns, who is described by teammates as goofy, has gotten back to cracking jokes postgame.

Towns gifted his new teammates with winter coats.

“I am just trying to bring a different culture into Minnesota,” Towns said.

Related
Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m Just a Piece on This Team’

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘Just Trying to Bring a Different Culture into Minnesota’ appeared first on SLAM.

Right?

Not so fast says KAT: he’s apparently “just a piece on this team.”

The Jimmy Butler-to-Philadelphia trade is complete, and the #TWolves have three new players in the deal. They all have uniform numbers, but won't suit up tonight vs. Brooklyn at Target Center. Pregame blog from @BloodStrib https://t.co/VTk9p6FPy3 pic.twitter.com/K7hwmlWOJA

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) November 12, 2018

The 22-year-old All-Star center’s Minnesota teammates, however, fully expect him to take on leadership duties.

Per the Star Tribune:

“First of all, I’m not one of the most important [players on the team],” Towns said. “I’m just a piece on this team. Everyone is just as important as the next. So if everyone’s doing their job and everyone is working hard, doing the little things, we make a great product. That’s first. And second, we just have to come together. We’re not doing well on defense so far this year, and we have to clean that up.”

[Anthony] Tolliver politely appeared to beg to differ. To him, Towns and Wiggins are leaders.

“What really matters is those guys understanding the responsibility of being max players,’’ Toliver said. “Being depended on every single night to bring a certain level of consistency. I think that both of them are very young. But it’s up to all of us around them to continue to bring them along on the consistency side, and on the responsibility side.

And on Towns in particular? “He’s our best player,” Tolliver said. “There is a certain responsibility that comes with contracts you get and also being very talented. People expect it every night, even though sometimes it might not be fair. But they expect him to get 30 and 20. And if he doesn’t, it’s not as good a night as they wish he could have had. That’s a part of this game, part of this league. So, whenever you sign those types of contracts, and you’re a part of a team and they’re building around you, you gotta bring it.”

Related
Andrew Wiggins: Sixers to ‘Win the East’ With Jimmy Butler

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m Just a Piece on This Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

Joel Embiid talked with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins about Jimmy Butler. "They thought that we were definitely going to get along," Embiid told ESPN. "He wants to win. Wiggs told me that he thought that we were going to win the East for sure."

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 11, 2018

Butler appeared to burn every bridge in his final days with the T-Wolves, but maintained the respect of Minnesota’s locker room.

Karl-Anthony Towns adds that the All-Star shooting guard—who led the 4-9 Timberwolves in scoring at 21.3 points a game—is “one hell of a player” who will be missed.

Karl Anthony Towns: “He's one hell of a player. I don't know how many Jimmy Butlers there are in the world, so I think he'll be missed." @espn news story from Minnesota — https://t.co/aTbqUEeHsY

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) November 11, 2018

Per ESPN:

“He’s one hell of a player,” Towns said Sunday. “I don’t know how many Jimmy Butlers there are in the world, so I think he’ll be missed.”

Towns had spent much of the two months following Butler’s trade request shooting down speculation that there was any friction between the two All-Stars. They didn’t work well together on the court, though. In Towns’ second season in the league — the last full season he played without Butler — the center averaged 25.1 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Through nine games with Butler this season, Towns’ numbers plummeted to 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

The Timberwolves were together on the team plane returning from Sacramento, California, when Butler found out he would be traded to the 76ers, along with Justin Patton, in exchange for Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless.

“We have a new start,” Derrick Rose said. “There’s no excuses.”

Related
Wolves Trade Jimmy Butler to 76ers for Robert Covington and Dario Saric

The post Andrew Wiggins: Sixers to ‘Win the East’ With Jimmy Butler appeared first on SLAM.

With the Wolves now 4-9 and 13th in the Western Conference standings, Butler voiced his latest frustrations to The Athletic‘s Sam Amick after his team’s 110-121 loss to the Kings last night.

Amick: You played 41 minutes tonight…

Butler: That shit has to stop.

Amick: Why?

Butler: We’ve got fucking 14 other guys.

The Wolves and Butler reportedly came to an agreement before the season to play him around 32 minutes a game, but that plan has not been carried out, with the 29-year-old Butler averaging 36.1 minutes per game, and clocking over 40 minutes in his last two outings.

Rewind the clocks back a year and…this should not have been a surprise.

Butler, who is averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals this season, may get his wish any day now.

RELATED: 
Jimmy Butler: ‘I’m in Minnesota for the Time Being’

The post Jimmy Butler on Heavy Minutes Load: ‘That S*** Has to Stop’ appeared first on SLAM.

The “Halloween” Nike Kyrie 4 – with its drippy Swoosh – also made an appearance Wednesday night on the feet of rookie Josh Okogie while Lonzo Ball rocked his wildest BBB ZO2.19, the “Madagascar.” Kevon Looney went vintage adidas with a pair of green/purple T-Macs from 2015 and Derrick Rose went vintage D-Rose with a career-high 50 point outburst in his latest signature model.

For a full recap of the best Halloween kicks around the league, make sure to peep all 30+ pics below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Butler told reporters he feels “fortunate to be able to play basketball every day” with his T-Wolves teammates.

Here's @ChristopherHine's report from San Antonio, where he was at #shootaround and talked to Jimmy Butler. "I’m fortunate to be able to play basketball every day with these incredible group of guys," Butler said. https://t.co/SHLsBU6StI pic.twitter.com/IfgKwFmuuq

— RandBall (@RandBall) October 17, 2018

The All-Star guard finished with 23 points (on 9-23 shooting) and seven rebounds in the Timberwolves’ 112-108 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Per the Star Tribune:

“I have no worries in the world,” Butler said after shootaround Wednesday. “I’m fortunate to be able to play basketball every day with these incredible group of guys and seriously just going out and playing basketball.”

If you watched the Wolves after shootaround Wednesday you might think there was nothing abnormal about the start to the season. Teammates were joking around, Butler included, before boarding their bus back to their hotel. But the Wolves find themselves in an awkward position to start the year with Butler wanting out of town. But for Wednesday, they had a game to play.

“I just want to hoop and be out there with my soldiers, go to war, try to the best of my ability help us win,” Butler said.

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Jimmy Butler: ‘Sure, Boo Me’

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘I Just Want to Hoop and Be Out There With My Soldiers’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin Garnett: not a fan of Glen Taylor pic.twitter.com/3mdnExc6A8

— /r/NBA (@NBA_Reddit) October 16, 2018

“He’s dealing with Glen, who doesn’t know s–t about basketball,” Garnett said during a TNT interview Tuesday night. “He know how to make money, but he don’t know anything about basketball. I wouldn’t say that he’s the best basketball mind.”

And Butler has only made things worse with his public criticism of teammates and the front-office in Minnesota, according to Garnett.

KG joins the TNT crew to share his thoughts on Jimmy Butler and the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/3hk68QuUSB

— KG's Area 21 (@KGArea21) October 16, 2018

KG gives his perspective on how he believes the Jimmy Butler situation will impact the T-Wolves this season pic.twitter.com/djrmuzEoOl

— KG's Area 21 (@KGArea21) October 16, 2018

Taylor and the All-Star guard have agreed that the franchise will continue to explore trade options.

Per the Star Tribune:

“The latest is he is going to be going to practice every day, which he has been, and plans to play in games,” said Taylor. “He will be a regular team player. What I said to him in the meantime is our GM, Scott Layden, will be talking to other teams to see if there is a trade that works.”

Is Taylor committed to trading Butler?

“Yes. I think [Butler has] made it very clear that he would not re-sign with us at the end of the year and therefore it is in our interest to get a trade so that we can get a player or two to replace him that helps our team,” Taylor said.

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Kevin Garnett: Jimmy Butler Saga a ‘Sh*t Storm’

The post Kevin Garnett: T-Wolves Owner ‘Doesn’t Know Sh*t About Basketball’ appeared first on SLAM.

Butler, who is looking for a trade out of Minnesota, says the hostility will only make him smile more.

Jimmy Butler practices again with Wolves, as opener nears. https://t.co/p03rQ10Wfd

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) October 15, 2018

The 29-year-old NBA All-Star is expected to be in the T-Wolves’ starting lineup on Opening Night this week.

Per the AP:

“They want me to go out here and hoop to the best of my abilities,” Butler said. “Make sure I’m healthy, compete, because that’s what I love to do, and do it for the guys in the same jerseys as me.”

The Wolves face Cleveland in their first home game on Friday, and the crowd at Target Center that cheered so loudly for Butler in his standout debut season in Minnesota is more than likely to produce the opposite reaction if he plays against the Cavaliers, considering the dysfunction his demand has caused.

“Sure, boo me,” Butler said. “Ain’t going to change the way I play. Probably going to make me smile more. Please, come with it.”

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Kevin Garnett: Jimmy Butler Saga a ‘Sh*t Storm’

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘Sure, Boo Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

KG believes both Jimmy Butler and the Timberwolves’ front-office are being “delusional.”

Exclusive: Kevin Garnett on the Jimmy Butler saga — 'It's a shit storm up there' https://t.co/MZ9Siezg6F

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 12, 2018

The future Hall of Famer spent 12 seasons in Minny, and wonders aloud if Butler “has enough juice” to hold the franchise hostage with a trade demand.

Per The Athletic:

“I think both sides are a little delusional,” Garnett said. “I think Jimmy thinks his worth is a little more than what it is. He’s a very good player. I don’t see him on the (Kevin Durant) and LeBron (James) level. But if they are A-plus, he’s definitely A, A-minus.

“I don’t know if he had the power to come out and force a trade like this. He can be disruptive, but I don’t know if he actually had the clout to come out and do that. I don’t know if Jimmy has enough juice to be that.”

[…]

“I’ve always wanted better for not only the city and the franchise, but [Andrew Wiggins], [Karl-Anthony Towns], those are my guys,” Garnett said. “I root for those guys. Gorgui Dieng. Those are my guys. I’m just hoping they can get through this rough patch and everybody can get on the same patch and figure it out. It’s a s— storm up there.

“I never requested a trade because I viewed ‘Sota as mine. I built this house. I’m not leaving this g– d— house. You can get the f— up out of here. You don’t like it, then leave … If you don’t want to be here, get the f— up out of here, man. Guys know this. Guys know what you sign up for. I never asked for a trade because I never wanted to be traded.”

Related
Jimmy Butler Held Players-Only Meeting With T-Wolves Teammates

The post Kevin Garnett: Jimmy Butler Saga a ‘Sh*t Storm’ appeared first on SLAM.

Butler told his Timberwolves teammates that his problems are largely with Minnesota’s front office, which has yet to fulfill his trade demand.

Sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Several players spoke up in players-only meeting, but Butler led it, made known his issues with management. His message was similar to one he displayed Wednesday: I run this. He's far too competitive to sit real games. https://t.co/Cwo8OCFY8m

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 11, 2018

The T-Wolves called off practice with no reason given for the last-minute change.

Per ESPN:

Butler said he reiterated to players in the meeting that his issues were with management and not his teammates.

At least one member of the Timberwolves, however, disputed that it was a players-only meeting. Guard Jeff Teague, in his second year with the team, tweeted “it wasn’t no players meeting,” after the first reports surfaced.

Butler said in Wednesday’s interview with ESPN that the source of his discontent is what he sees as the team’s lack of a commitment to winning.

“I think that’s the part everybody doesn’t see,” Butler said. “I’m not going to say no names. I’m going to be honest, if your number one priority isn’t winning, people can tell. That’s the battle. Now there is a problem between people. That’s where the disconnect is.”

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Jimmy Butler Says He Plays the Hardest in Minnesota

The post Jimmy Butler Held Players-Only Meeting With T-Wolves Teammates appeared first on SLAM.

The All-Star guard made an explosive return to practice Wednesday, and he was brutally-honest during and after the run.

Here's an abridged version of my conversation with Jimmy Butler. We'll have more on #TheJump at 3p ET/noon PT on ESPN (including a little backstory on "keep that same energy") https://t.co/Bkzc1y5SRO

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) October 11, 2018

Butler expressed some regret about how he handled himself, but made it clear that his team could benefit from that sort of unrestrained passion.

Per ESPN:

So do you think it was the wrong thing to do, or was it an OK thing to do?

Butler: “I think that I was honest. Was I brutally honest? Yes. But I think that that’s the problem. Everybody’s so scared to be honest with one another. If you didn’t like the way I handled myself in practice, one of the players come up to me. Somebody say something, anybody. I’m not gonna take it as offense, it’s not personal. “Jimmy, you shouldn’t have done that.” “Yeah, you probably right,” and I would’ve said, “I ain’t hooped in I don’t know how long. I’m passionate about it. I love the game and I love to win.” And that’s all I was out there doing. I went into practice today and I competed.”

Well, look, your two most high-profile teammates — KAT and Andrew Wiggins — according to this, you got into it with them today too.

Butler: “But I was seeing red. Whatever color was in front of my eyes, I was — it was emotion, it was passion. That’s what it was. And to tell you the truth, this is the truth. I didn’t go at those two. One of them came at me. One of ’em came at me and I just …”

Which one?

Butler: “KAT. KAT came at me. We’re up in practice and he said, ‘Anybody can get this work!’ I said, ‘Do it to me.’ That’s all that I said. I said, “Every time I get switched out onto you, you pass it.” I’m a competitor, I’m in here talking, come at me. If you score on me, I’m gonna tap you on your butt. You got the best of me — but you got to do it every time. Am I being tough on him? Yeah! Yeah, that’s who I am. I’m not the most talented player. Who’s the most talented player on our team? KAT. Who’s the most god-gifted player on our team? Wigs. Wigs got the longest arms, the biggest hands, can jump the highest, can run the fastest. But like who plays the hardest? Me. I play hard. I play really hard. I put my body on the line every damn practice. Every day in the games. That’s my passion. That’s how I give to the game. That’s how I give to you guys.”

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Report: Jimmy Butler Screamed ‘You Can’t Win Without Me’ at Timberwolves’ Practice

The post Jimmy Butler Says He Plays the Hardest in Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

Taj Gibson spent a lot of time with Butler this summer, and was floored when the news landed.

Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose have been through a lot with Jimmy Butler over the years. They want to support him no matter what he decides but they’re even a little surprised how quickly the news of his trade demand came down. https://t.co/FfEFButNqj

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) September 29, 2018

Derrick Rose was also surprised that Butler’s relationship with the Timberwolves had deteriorated to the point of no return.

Per ESPN:

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to look at it from a player’s standpoint and a business standpoint,” Gibson told ESPN after Friday’s practice. “He’s trying to do what he got to do, but everybody’s calling him. It’s more of a [situation where] I’ve got to go see him kind of thing. But I worked out with him all summer, so when I said what I meant, it was like a right hook. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t know. I thought — it looked like from everything things were going good. But sometimes it’s a money aspect, and fans and different players got to understand that. I understand that with being in the league for so many years, but got to try to just see what we can do.

“… One thing about everybody who’s here, from the coaching staff, players, everybody’s familiar with each other, we’ve been through a lot together, so we just got to keep trying.”

Gibson, who has a close relationship with Butler dating to their time with the Chicago Bulls, said he has tried to give Butler space to make his decisions over the past couple of weeks. Despite Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau’s best efforts to keep his team focused on the present, the Butler saga remains at the forefront of the minds of players and coaches.

“Now in the NBA, everybody has a little bit of freedom to do a little more of what they want,” Rose told ESPN. “And he’s expressing that he don’t want to be here and he want to go somewhere else. I mean, Kawhi [Leonard] did it last year, didn’t he? Like he just didn’t play. Jimmy just came out and said he didn’t want to play here. I had so much [stuff] going on, I couldn’t even focus on what was really going on with the team. I signed early, and I left everything up to Thibs. [Butler’s trade demand] was just a surprise, not only to me, I think to everyone that he wanted to leave. … I didn’t know what the situation is. I just didn’t know it was that bad. Even being here, I didn’t know it was that bad.”

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The post ‘It Was Like a Right Hook’: Jimmy Butler’s Teammates Surprised By Trade Demand appeared first on SLAM.

The owner of the Timberwolves, however, appears to be at odds with his own front-office, which wants to take a much more cautious approach with the disgruntled All-Star guard.

ESPN story on the latest in the trade circus surrounding Minnesota All-Star Jimmy Butler. https://t.co/uzPYgn4mir

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 23, 2018

Taylor and Butler both would prefer a deal to be completed prior to Tuesday, the team’s first day of practice.

Per ESPN:

So far, few franchises, if any, are engaged in serious conversations with the Timberwolves on Butler, sources said. But the list of organizations interested in talking further with Minnesota is significant, league sources said: Brooklyn, Detroit, Houston, the LA Clippers, Miami, Philadelphia, Portland and Sacramento are among the teams interested in probing for deals.

So far, Pat Riley and Miami have been as aggressive as any team, league sources said.

“The owner’s trading him,” one board of governors source told ESPN. “That was made clear. It’s just a matter of when.”

“He basically said, ‘If you don’t get anywhere with [Layden] and you’ve got something good, bring it to me,” another high-ranking league official told ESPN.

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The post T-Wolves Owner Reportedly Wants Jimmy Butler Quickly Traded appeared first on SLAM.

“On June 25, 2015, I was drafted to and committed to the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Towns said in a statement to ESPN. “On September 22, 2018, I made a recommitment to the Wolves and have the same feelings of excitement that I felt back in 2015.

“I promise to the fans, my teammates and the organization to keep the vision of the man who drafted me, Flip Saunders, alive and treat his dream of winning with respect and dignity. To the fans from Day One and the Timberwolves fans, this is for you. Thank you for believing in me.”

“5 More” pic.twitter.com/aBRVJJBvdh

— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) September 23, 2018

Towns put up 21.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game during the ’17-’18 season.

h/t ESPN

The post Karl-Anthony Towns, Wolves Reportedly Agree to Five-Year, $190 Million Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The team is said to be telling rival execs that it intends to hang on to the unhappy four-time NBA All-Star.

ESPN story on Minnesota front office responding to trade calls on All-Star Jimmy Butler — and how owner Glen Taylor could impact the decision to move him. https://t.co/I7CEayA7H8

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 21, 2018

Butler, 29, reportedly gave the T-Wolves of a three-team list of potential destinations.

Per ESPN:

Often that’s an opening message that’s followed with a query on what a prospective trade partner might offer in a hypothetical deal, but that hasn’t been the case in the Timberwolves’ dialogues with teams late this week, sources said.

Nevertheless, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor plans to be heavily involved in the decision-making process with president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden, league sources said.

Thibodeau doesn’t want to trade Butler, especially in a scenario that would imperil the franchise’s ability to reach the playoffs for a second straight year after missing the postseason the previous 13 seasons, league sources said.

Because of Thibodeau’s uncertain long-term status with ownership, Taylor could have a different view on how to handle the trade request given the possibility that Butler could leave Minnesota in summer free agency without the Wolves getting back the kind of assets that would come with a trade.

Report: Jimmy Butler Prefers Trade to the Clippers

The post Report: Timberwolves Rejecting Jimmy Butler Trade Offers appeared first on SLAM.

Cap’n Jack took offense to Wiggins’ brother celebrating the news of Butler’s trade demand.

Andrew Wiggins' brother!!!! pic.twitter.com/uyJHH9FtVy

— Sherwob Holmes (@World_Wide_Wob) September 19, 2018

View this post on Instagram

my bad y’all don’t like the truth. I’m going to bed. Got 6am and . Love to all GN World. #GBG GetBetterGang

A post shared by Stephen Jackson (@_stak5_) on Sep 19, 2018 at 8:09pm PDT

Wiggins responded by calling Jackson a “bum ass.”

View this post on Instagram

Have a good yr lil one. This ain’t the smoke u won’t. God bless. Somebody @ Lil one for me. Wish u the best. #GBG #BoyStop #TruthHurts

A post shared by Stephen Jackson (@_stak5_) on Sep 19, 2018 at 9:04pm PDT

Butler, meanwhile, seemed to take the over-wrought drama in stride.

Jimmy hit 'em with that

(via @JimmyButler) pic.twitter.com/um2XxM2aLG

— Yahoo Sports NBA (@YahooSportsNBA) September 20, 2018

The NBA is the best.

Related
Report: Jimmy Butler Requests Trade from Timberwolves

The post Andrew Wiggins and Stephen Jackson Beef Over Jimmy Butler Trade Request appeared first on SLAM.

Butler reportedly isn’t dead set on pushing for a trade out of Minnesota.

exactly why people need to stop believing what you see on the internet.. I didn’t have no damn meeting today… its tomorrow.. i wonder what else people write and people believe hmmm…

— Jimmy Butler (@JimmyButler) September 18, 2018

Butler, 29, is headed for free agency next summer and is said to have “serious questions about the direction of the franchise.”

Per NBA.com:

Jimmy Butler’s unhappiness in Minnesota will reportedly be addressed today in a meeting between him, Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden.

I’m told, though, that while Butler has serious questions about the direction of the franchise, he’s still willing to hear Minnesota out, and isn’t dead set on demanding a trade elsewhere. Stay tuned.

Related
Report: Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns Remain at Odds

The post Report: Jimmy Butler Not ‘Dead Set on Demanding a Trade’ appeared first on SLAM.

Butler and head coach Tom Thibdoeau are scheduled to meet prior to the start of training camp.

ESPN story on the issues challenging Jimmy Butler, Tom Thibodeau and Minnesota’s future. https://t.co/BkWLNq47xf

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 15, 2018

T-Wolves owner Glen Taylor is said to be privately second-guessing having given Thibs full control of basketball operations in Minny.

Per ESPN:

The Thibodeau-Butler relationship has been largely strong since the Bulls drafted Butler in 2011, but Butler’s partnership with young star Karl-Anthony Towns has been strained and remains an obstacle to the 2018-19 team’s success — and perhaps the ability to sign Butler to a new contract next summer, league sources said.

Minnesota can offer Butler a five-year, $189.7 million max contract — with a max deal elsewhere worth four years, $140.6 million.

The Timberwolves are negotiating a rookie extension with Towns that could be completed before the start of the season. Rival executives believe that Butler could come available on the market by the February trade deadline if Minnesota fears that it will lose him for nothing in July free agency.

Related
Agent: Jimmy Butler Not ‘Fed Up’ With T-Wolves Teammates

The post Report: Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns Remain at Odds appeared first on SLAM.

KAT would otherwise head into restricted free agency next summer.

Notebook from Thibs’ Fair includes these nuggets too: Wolves hire Pistons’ Malik Allen as asst coach, Thibs hopeful Patton will be ready for camp https://t.co/BLxBuX4IFQ

— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) August 27, 2018

Thibs also threw cold water on rumors about Jimmy Butler supposedly being unhappy in Minnesota.

Per the Star Tribune:

Thibodeau said he’s “very optimistic” the Wolves will sign Towns to a contract extension before the regular season starts. They have until October’s end to sign him to an extension that could be worth $187 million.

“We know how important Karl is to the future of the organization,” Thibodeau said.

The Wolves offered Butler a new maximum $110 million contract as soon as NBA rules allowed in July. Butler turned it down, as expected, because he can make as much as $187 million if he becomes a free agent next summer and re-signs with the Wolves then. Or he could become free then to sign with any team he chooses, but for less money.

Thibodeau called Butler’s decision “anticipated,” but added, “We wanted him to know how important he is to the future of the organization. The winning will take care of that. We know the position we’re in. We have a lot to offer him. We think this is the best place for him, and it’s up to us to show him the reasons why.”

Related
Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘Lot of Things’ to Discuss With T-Wolves

The post Tom Thibodeau ‘Very Optimistic’ About a Karl-Anthony Towns Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Despite some reported drama with head coach Tom Thibodeau and star teammate Jimmy Butler, the Timberwolves appear confident that KAT will agree to a deal.

August is approaching and there is still a lot to talk about in Wolves Land. Hitting the big subjects here. Thanks for all your questions https://t.co/YvNQIzhHO7

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) July 23, 2018

Towns, 22, is eligible for a five-year, $188 million pact.

Per The Athletic:

Everyone in the organization expects Towns to sign the extension. No rookie has passed up this much money before and Towns doesn’t figure to be the first.

While he has not provided specifics on what he wants to discuss, one would think Tom Thibodeau’s decision to fire Legarza, a close confidante of KAT’s during his first three NBA seasons, would probably be on that list.

Related
Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘Lot of Things’ to Discuss With T-Wolves

The post Report: T-Wolves Expect Karl-Anthony Towns to Ink Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Man those white uniforms ain’t so bad/fresh and that rating ain’t so bad either for such an old head! #NBA2K19 #KingJames #StriveForGreatness #RWTW #JamesGang

A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Jul 16, 2018 at 11:35am PDT

91? I don’t blame you @NBA2K, I blame @ronnie2k! #blameronnieforeverything #serversareyourfaulttoo #Imbetterthanlastyear pic.twitter.com/htd551uR43

— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) July 20, 2018

I’ll take it but I’m bout to show y’all something this year @NBA2K #NBA2K19 pic.twitter.com/WXTmgKUkLd

— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) July 21, 2018

Our Australian cover athlete @BenSimmons25 wasn’t thrilled with his 87 rating in #NBA2K19 Watch his reaction to finding out pic.twitter.com/cORpPP5yOp

— NBA 2K19 (@NBA2K) July 20, 2018

2 questions @NBA2K What’s my dunk rating? And who else is an 87 this year pic.twitter.com/TGbs1Fvrez

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) July 19, 2018

We goin’ up@NBA2K #NBA2K19 pic.twitter.com/pr4b3XdZ7o

— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) July 17, 2018

2k rating is disrespectful. Y’all will learn though

— kuz (@kylekuzma) July 20, 2018

When we turn up on they asses this year they going to learn https://t.co/qF7ryT6T0Y

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) July 21, 2018

Ima 79. But they say my clutch rating is Top5 lol @NBA2K @Ronnie2K pic.twitter.com/pNJ3pfI1aP

— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) August 8, 2018

…@NBA2K @Ronnie2K #NBA2K19 pic.twitter.com/njybhf4qVG

— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) August 14, 2018

RELATED
Changing the Game: The NBA 2K League is Just Getting Started 

The post NBA Players React to Their 2K19 Ratings 🎮 appeared first on SLAM.

The 22-year-old NBA All-Star center largely danced around rumors of internal team turmoil, and would only allow that he has a “lot of things that have to be talked about” with his current employer.

We were warned that #Twolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns would only take questions about his camp today. So specific questions about Butler, Legarza, Thibs, contract extension, etc. were tough. But he did offer up a little something at the very end. More on @KSTP at 10:20. pic.twitter.com/9PqrGHK9jk

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 19, 2018

KAT says he’s very proud of all he’s accomplished with the Timberwolves.

new post: Amid an offseason of rumors and reports, Karl-Anthony Towns had a chance to squash them Wednesday at his basketball camp in Plymouth. Instead, he sidestepped. https://t.co/V6Sfl3MvDP pic.twitter.com/dIe3Bht7Lf

— RandBall (@RandBall) July 18, 2018

Per the Star Tribune:

“It’s amazing. (Kevin Garnett) told me you blink and time flies. I remember doing my first (camp) in Minnesota, being so excited, finding a way to win Rookie of the Year and really celebrating with the campers,” Towns said. “Then you blink and I’m already going into my fourth year. So many more things have happened in my life. It’s an intriguing thing.”

How the rest of his career will play out remains to be seen. Maybe all this offseason chatter is just noise and Towns will sign a max contract with the Wolves while declaring all is well. But if you wanted clarity Wednesday, Towns offered anything but that.

“I think I’ve done a lot of things here. I’m very proud of the things I’ve been able to do so far,” Towns said in response to the final question of the session about whether he considers Minnesota a second home. “But I have a lot of things that have to be talked about, so I’ll move on.”

Related
Agent: Jimmy Butler Not ‘Fed Up’ With T-Wolves Teammates

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘Lot of Things’ to Discuss With T-Wolves appeared first on SLAM.

According to Bernie Lee, Butler would make it perfectly clear if he was unhappy in Minnesota instead of leaking the news through the media.

Jimmy Butler's agent @BernieOLee on report Butler is 'fed up' with Towns: "If he had an opinion to share about anyone … they wouldn't have to read about it"

"He doesn’t do passive aggressive"https://t.co/ew8mqmYnsa via @pioneerpress

— jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) July 3, 2018

The report also claimed that Butler and Kyrie Irving are interested in someday joining forces.

Per the Pioneer Press:

When reached for comment about the Sun-Times story, Bernie Lee, Butler’s agent, sent the following message to the Pioneer Press: “We had to fly to Europe today for a charity event, so we’ve been on a plane for 14 hours so I’m playing catch up, so bare with me. But the one thing I will say is, anyone who knows Jimmy, this is Mr. [Glen] Taylor, [Tom Thibodeau], to every player he’s ever played with, they know one thing about Jimmy… he doesn’t do passive aggressive.

“If he has something to say to someone he says it without hesitation and everyone involved knows this. So I say that to say, if he had an opinion to share about anyone or anything in particular they would know and they wouldn’t have to read about it.”

The Wolves could attempt to renegotiate Butler’s contract this summer and sign him to a five-year deal worth about $177 million, but to do so they’d have to clear at least $20 million in cap space, which would be a serious challenge.

Thibodeau said the Wolves are working “every day” on signing Butler to a long-term deal. “We know how important he is,” Thibodeau said, “and we feel he’s one of the best players in the league.”

Related
Report: Jimmy Butler ‘Uncertain’ About Playing With Andrew Wiggins

The post Agent: Jimmy Butler Not ‘Fed Up’ With T-Wolves Teammates appeared first on SLAM.

Thibs spoke to reporters at Wednesday’s pre-draft press conference, and said he’s got nothing but love for KAT.

Tom Thibodeau on alleged friction with Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I love KAT’ https://t.co/pbrASDnhbP pic.twitter.com/sKOe4vNBTI

— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) June 21, 2018

“There’s going to be some bumps in the road,” Thibodeau said about Minnesota working its way back to respectability.

Per the Pioneer Press:

“When you look around the league, there’s rumors everywhere, so you don’t want to respond to every rumor,” said Thibodeau, the Wolves’ coach and president of basketball operations. “Things are definitely changing in terms of the social media and the things that are put out there, and anyone can put anything out there, and oftentimes they’re unfounded. It’s a lot of misinformation … I think we all know from inside what actually is true and not true. So we’d be up here all day (addressing things). You have stuff that’s out there that couldn’t be further from the truth, and then you just feed into it by responding to it. So the important thing for us is to just stay on track, not get distracted, just keep doing the things that we need to do to win.”

One of the more talked about rumors is of a rift between Thibodeau and All-NBA center Karl-Anthony Towns, one sparked by the firing of player​ development coach Vince Legarza, who worked closely with Towns. The coach addressed that by saying things are good with Towns.

“He’s doing quite well,” Thibodeau said with a smile. “I love KAT. He’s had a terrific start to his career.”

The post Tom Thibodeau Denies Rift With Karl-Anthony Towns appeared first on SLAM.

Lowe said on his most recent podcast that the two sides are “not in a good place internally,” and Windhorst went as far as to suggest that Towns’ name could come up in trade rumors.

“I don’t think Anthony Davis is going anywhere any time soon,” Windhorst said. “But Karl Towns…now that might be a different story.”

Towns averaged 21.3 points and 12.3 rebounds this season, but struggled through the first round of the playoffs, as Minnesota was eliminated by the Rockets in five games.

RELATED
Charles Barkley: Karl-Anthony Towns ‘So Limited Offensively’

The post Report: Karl-Anthony Towns, Wolves ‘Not In A Good Place Internally’ appeared first on SLAM.

"He's got a long way to go offensively… he's got to get into the gym and work on his game this summer." – Chuck on KAT pic.twitter.com/rgRlF8WIeL

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 19, 2018

“What it really shows me, Ernie, is the limitations of his game,” Barkley said on TNT Wednesday night.

“He got a long way to go offensively. I mean those shots he’s getting, those aren’t big man shots. Those are like a 7-footer shooting fadeaways against little guys. He’s got to get in the gym.

“First of all, I like him a lot as a person and like him a lot as a player, but he is so limited offensively. He’s got to get in the gym and work on his game this summer.”

Towns finished with just five points in last night’s 102-82 Game 2 loss in Houston, and the Timberwolves are headed back to Minnesota down 0-2.

KAT says he can’t afford to be frustrated by his lack of offensive production.

Per ESPN:

“I just go out here and I just try to find ways to win,” Towns said after scoring only five points as his Minnesota Timberwolves dropped to a 2-0 series deficit with a 102-82 loss Wednesday night to the Rockets. “I’m not looking for statistics and all that hype and glory and all that B.S. that doesn’t matter. I’m here for wins and dubs — whatever I’ve got to do to win the game.”

Towns, who scored eight points in the Timberwolves’ Game 1 loss, is off to a historically poor postseason start for a player of his pedigree. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Towns’ 13 points through two playoff games is tied for the third fewest in NBA history for a player who averaged at least 20 points per game that season, ahead of only Paul Arizin in 1957 and Truck Robinson in 1979.

“You can’t be frustrated,” said Towns, who was 2-of-9 from the floor on Wednesday and is 5-of-18 in the series. “No time to be frustrated. Too much positive energy has to go the right way. There ain’t no time for negativity. There ain’t no time for frustration. There ain’t no time to hang your head down. We’ve got to move on and try to win the next game.”

Related
Shaq: Karl-Anthony Towns Needs To Demand The Ball

The post Charles Barkley: Karl-Anthony Towns ‘So Limited Offensively’ appeared first on SLAM.

Shaq’s advice to Towns: “Run to the middle of the floor every time and stand there until the refs call three seconds two times in a row” (starting at 1:17):

“What I would tell him to do. Run to the middle of the floor every time and stand there until the refs call three seconds two times in a row.

“Not only will it get yourself in the game, the defense starts to panic, they’ll start to double- and triple-[team] a couple times early, and then you’ll kick it out to your shooters.

“I know he’s young, but he’s the man on the team. He still needs to demand the ball. When they switch and the little guy plays him, all the guards telling him to clear out. No, you don’t move. You tell him to give me the ball so he could score or create for other players.”

RELATED:
Karl-Anthony Towns Sets Timberwolves Single-Game Scoring Record

The post Shaq: Karl-Anthony Towns Needs To Demand The Ball appeared first on SLAM.

Rudy Gobert had Nintendo fanboys crushing as he wore a “Zelda” themed custom of the Nike Air Max Dominate. Teammate Ricky Rubio used his customs to show support and bring awareness to 5 for the Fight Cancer Awareness Night while former Jazz player and current Magic guard Shelvin Mack decked out his Nike Mamba Rage in a Disney theme featuring Mickey Mouse holding the Swoosh as a paintbrush. Lastly, Kemba Walker turned heads as he donned a Hornets custom of the Air Jordan X Retro on the night he became the team’s all-time leading scorer.

Continuing on, one of Kickstradomis’ biggest clients, Karl-Anthony Towns, had a career night as he dropped 56 points to go along with 15 rebounds and four dimes in his Nike Hyperdunk 2017 PEs. MarShon Brooks made his return to the NBA a memorable one as he dropped 21 points to help lead Memphis to a win over Blazers and Kyle Kuzma went back nearly a decade as he brought out the Nike Zoom Kobe 3.

The rest of Wednesday’s NBA kicks is just a few clicks away and make sure to share your opinions on players rocking customs in the comments below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Jaylen Brown hit a three with 0.1 seconds to go to give the still-shorthanded Celtics a thrilling road win. He finished with a team-high 21 points as one of five Celtics in double figures. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 for the Jazz. Boston has now won five in a row and Utah has dropped three of its last five.

JAYLEN BROWN WITH .1 TO GO! (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/SEba0jx4pe

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 29, 2018

76ers 118 (44-30), Knicks 101 (27-49)

Dario Saric had 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the 76ers to their eighth win in a row, but it came at a cost. Joel Embiid suffered a facial injury after colliding with Markelle Fultz in the second quarter and did not return to the game. He was taken to the hospital and evaluated, and does not have a concussion. Ben Simmons just missed a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Michael Beasley and Emmanuel Mudiay each had 22 for the Knicks.

A nice start to the second half. pic.twitter.com/QQuuJkicrF

— x – Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 29, 2018

Nets 111 (24-51), Magic 104 (22-52)

Seven Nets players scored in double figures, led by D’Angelo Russell (16 points, 12 assists) as Brooklyn snapped a three-game losing streak. The Nets began the fourth quarter on a 17-2 run to go up by as many as 19 and coast in the final minutes. Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 24 points.

You might want to watch this a few times pic.twitter.com/7OOt6p4r0h

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 29, 2018

Cavaliers 118 (45-30), Hornets 105 (34-42)

LeBron James scored 41 and had 10 rebounds to go with eight assists as the Cavs took care of Charlotte on the road. The story of the game, however, was the seventh-year point guard for Charlotte — Kemba Walker scored 21 (11 in the fourth quarter) and became the Hornets’ all-time leading scorer on a layup in the final seconds of the game. He led the Hornets in scoring on Wednesday, but as a team they shot just 5-21 from three and committed 13 turnovers compared to just six for the Cavs.

THERE IT IS!!!!! KEMBA WALKER IS THE NEW CHARLOTTE HORNETS ALL-TIME SCORING LEADER! pic.twitter.com/A5r2xiIooW

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 29, 2018

Grizzlies 108 (21-54), Trail Blazers 103 (46-29)

Memphis outscored Portland by 10 in the fourth quarter to steal a win behind 21 points from MarShon Brooks. He scored 14 in the final frame as the Grizzlies won consecutive games for the first time since mid-January. CJ McCollum had 42 to lead all scorers, but the Grizzlies hit 13 threes. Brooks alone was 5-5 from three and Chandler Parsons (15 points) went 3-7.

This is ludicrous.

Hello, @sportscenter. pic.twitter.com/GgJoIedykU

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) March 29, 2018

Timberwolves 126 (43-33), Hawks 114 (21-54)

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 56 points, setting the franchise single-game scoring record, to lead the Timberwolves over the Hawks. Towns’ 15 rebounds also gave him his 63rd double-double of the season, a league-best. Andrew Wiggins tossed in 17 points of his own and Jeff Teague had eight assists. Mike Muscala had a career-high 24 for Atlanta off the bench.

FIFTY.
CAREER-HIGH.@KarlTowns pic.twitter.com/FmdCqujRix

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 29, 2018

Clippers 111 (41-34), Suns 99 (19-57)

Tobias Harris scored 27 points and hit five of his six attempts from three to lead the Clippers over the Suns. DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and 15 rebounds. The Suns struggled from the field, shooting 43 percent overall and 29 percent from three. Tyler Ulis scored 23 to lead Phoenix.

Big man @DeAndre has your back, @Sin_City_803!

#PrimeTicket pic.twitter.com/c1nfDvnRzz

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 29, 2018

Lakers 103 (33-41), Mavericks 93 (23-52)

Brook Lopez had 22 and Julius Randle had 20 more as the Lakers topped the Mavericks in the late game on Wednesday. It sent Dallas to its sixth loss in seven games. 12 different Mavericks scored, though only four finished in double figures, led by Harrison Barnes, who scored 17. The Lakers, despite their losing record overall, are now 19-16 at home.

Kuzma spins and gets the hook shot to fall #LakeShow (: @SpectrumSN & @spectdeportes) pic.twitter.com/3snHBbHwve

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 29, 2018

The post Post Up: Jaylen Brown Beats The Jazz At The Buzzer appeared first on SLAM.

Towns did his work on 19-32 shooting from the field, including 6-8 shooting from three and 12-15 from the line. He also grabbed 15 rebounds and had four assists over 41 minutes.

Some of his highlights:

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Sets Timberwolves Single-Game Scoring Record appeared first on SLAM.

Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball released a track titled “Super Saiyan.” Rudy Gobert, De’Aaron Fox, Dennis Smith Jr., Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Bell are also avid fans of the show.

The original Dragon Ball anime series, based on the manga created by Akira Toriyama, made its debut in Japan in 1986. It did not make its way to America until 1996, when it took off in front of a new audience. The original series was followed by Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and the current series Dragon Ball Super.

The show’s main protagonist, Goku, spends the series improving his power level in order to fight against increasingly more powerful villains.

Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie calls Dragon Ball his favorite show growing up. His favorite character is Vegeta, who is constantly chasing Goku to try to get on the same level as him.

“It’s cool to have a character you can identity with,” Dinwiddie explained. “Just identifying with a guy like Vegeta who is always right there, but not quite there.”

Clippers forward Tobias Harris, on the other hand, prefers Goku. “He was always pushing to take that next step to become a Super Saiyan,” Harris said. “There are so many life lessons on the show about unlocking your own potential.”

Choosing between Goku and Vegeta is as difficult as, say, deciding between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. “It was definitely Goku growing up,” Bulls rookie Lauri Markkanen said. “But once I got older, it was Vegeta. He’s the hungrier guy. He thinks he’s the best and he’s always trying to chase everybody.”

As a sixth grader growing up in Finland, Markkanen would watch two episodes of Dragon Ball Z every day after school. At first, the show didn’t have too much appeal. Like most anime series, Dragon Ball Z is known to draw out their plot lines with episodes that are considered filler.

“The first few episodes I watched, nothing was happening,” Markkanen said. “The early episodes, nobody was even powering up.” But soon, Markkanen was hooked.

Beyond the obvious pure entertainment appeal, there’s another reason so many NBA players are drawn to the show. They can relate to the triumphs and struggles the characters on Dragon Ball go through, similar to their paths from high school, to college, to carving out a spot in the NBA.

“They explain how you will never be your best self because of your ego and anger,” Harris said, breaking down Vegeta’s narrative. “As a professional athlete, you can definitely relate to that.”

Last year, Gita Jackson of Kotaku wrote an article titled “Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z.” In the story, Jackson interviewed Malcolm Jones, an engineer who described the commonality of how every main character on the show had an underdog narrative. “I think black men particularly identify themselves with that,” Jones said.

Harris agrees. “It’s a really deep show,” he said, “Some people don’t realize it.” He’s read RZA’s book “The Tao of Wu” where Dragon Ball Z is described as the journey of the black man.

Dinwiddie has a more obvious explanation for why it’s such a favorite among NBA athletes. “Who doesn’t want to watch a bunch of guys flying around while they’re fighting,” he said.

Dragon Ball Z doesn’t just take players back to their childhood. When the series made its return with Dragon Ball Super in 2015, Dinwiddie was thrilled to see his favorite anime making a comeback. “To be able to see something come back to life and people still have the same interest is pretty cool,” Dinwiddie said. “I still watch every Sunday, and it’s like, wow, after all these years, I still love the show.”

Players have expressed their passion for Dragon Ball Z with a series of customized sneakers, courtesy of shoe customizer Kickstradomis. Recently, at Madison Square Garden, Bell wore a pair of customized PG1 “Vegeta” that drew as much attention as any shoe that evening, which is saying something considering Nick Young wore the Yeezy 500 “Desert Rat” in the same game.

Markkanen debuted his “Goku” Hyperdunks in early March. “It’s awesome,” Markkanen said. “It was my favorite show growing up, and to actually wear something with my team colors too, it’s awesome to have something different.”

Luka Doncic, the potential first overall pick in the upcoming draft, recently received a pair of “Majin Buu” Hyperdunks from Kickstradomis. As the next generation makes their way to the NBA, conversations about Dragon Ball Z in locker rooms will only intensify.

For Harris, that’s just the way it should be. “The show is fire,” he said. “And a lot of older people watch it. It’s definitely not just a show for kids.”

–

Alex Wong is a SLAM contributor and freelance writer. Follow him on Twitter @steven_lebron.

Photos by Getty Images and Kickstradomis.

The post Dragon Ball Z Is Taking Over The NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Clutch Kuz stole the show as the Lakers outlasted the Nuggets behind his 26 points, 13 rebounds and strong fourth quarter showing. Julius Randle stayed hot with 26 and Isaiah Thomas added 23 off the pine as the Lakers’ won the 12th out of their last 13 at the Staples Center.

For those keeping track of the Lonzo Ball vs. Jamal Murray beef:

• Ball: 5 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, +18
• Murray: 18 points, 6 rebound, 4 assists, 2 steals, +/- 0

Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 26.

Isaiah Thomas really crossed up Nikola Jokic and LOOKED BACK AT ‘EM (via @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/EFeFhYVBwc

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

LONZO COMIN’ FOR YOU (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/disf4ZZQKm

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

Cavaliers 129 (39-28), Suns 107 (19-50)

Year 15 and no signs of slowing down: LeBron James hit a career-best 14 triple-doubles in a season as he stuffed the box score with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks.

Kyle Korver knocked down five 3s and scored 22 in 23 minutes as a starter.

LEBRON ISN’T HUMAN

(via @Cavs) https://t.co/HGS2owy9xi

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

YEP. NO-LOOK LEBRON IS OFFICIALLY A THING NOW. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/FTByDDpfvM

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

Pistons 79 (30-27), Jazz 110 (38-30)

Any momentum from the Blake Griffin trade seems surely lost now as the Pistons have dropped six of their last eight. The Jazz ran out to a huge first quarter advantage, doubling Detroit’s scoring with 42 points, and never looked back as Rudy Robert’s 22 points and 12 rebounds led the way. Jonas Jerekbo was a key spark off the bench for Utah as he scored 16 points and grabbed eight boards in just 19 minutes.

DONOVAN MITCHELL IS DIFFERENT.

NAILS THE FROM ANOTHER ZIP CODE (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/EzgmfSstC9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

Mavericks 110 (22-46), Knicks 97 (24-44)

Harrison Barnes provided the scoring with 30 points and Dennis Smith Jr. put down the exclamation dunk with his jaw-dropping windmill dunk as the Mavericks rode a 26-12 third quarter advantage to victory.

Michael Beasley scored 21 points on 10-for-13 shooting from the field for New York and Trey Burke continued to shine on offense as he scored 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench.

Dennis Smith Jr. throwing it down with TENACITY at the Garden (via @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/sjSkWuIBCT

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

Yep, we can add this one to the Dennis Smith Jr. reel (via @dallasmavs) https://t.co/ggait7oKmK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 13, 2018

Thunder 119 (41-29), Hawks 107 (20-48)

The Thunder actually trailed the cellar-dwelling Hawks at the intermission, but five 3s from Carmelo Anthony in the opening five minutes of the third quarter sparked a 21-5 Oklahoma City run that put it back in the driver’s seat.

Russell Westbrook became the fourth player in NBA history to reach 100 career triple-doubles as he grabbed his 10th rebound with less than three minutes to go. Westbrook finished the night with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.

Russ is surrounded by icons–only Oscar Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138) and Jason Kidd (107) have more career triple-doubles: https://t.co/mkDvvmXIJA pic.twitter.com/yIc0tKZanS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

RUSS GOT’EEEEEEM (via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/OgUdqQHL0F

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

THE ROOK JOHN COLLINS JUST DUNKED ON THE BRODIE (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/C2pVzmPJya

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

Pacers 101 (40-28), 76ers (36-30)

Ben Simmons became the second rookie in NBA history to hit seven triple-doubles as he amassed 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, but it wasn’t enough as Myles Turner’s 25  points led Indiana to victory.

‘Dipo got a MEAN handle (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/iGmLU76VOK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 14, 2018

Timberwolves 116 (40-29), Wizards 111 (38-30)

Karl-Anthony Towns turned in a season-high 37 points as the Timberwolves needed to outscore the Wizards 34-21 in the final period to earn the comeback dub. Five other players scored in double-digits for Minnesota.

Markieff Morris scored a team-high 27 for Washington.

Jamal Crawford out here slicing and dicing up defenses like it’s easy (via @Timberwolves) https://t.co/RsWQukiIeS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 13, 2018

Raptors 116 (50-17), Nets 102 (21-47)

D’Angelo Russell had Twitter poppin’ with his seven 3s en route to 24 first quarter points, but the Eastern Conference’s top dogs locked up in the final three periods as Russell’s hot hand dwindled and he scored only eight more points the rest of the way.

Jonas Valanciunas was the star of the night for Toronto as he dropped 26 points and snatched 14 boards.

Clippers 112 (37-29), Bulls 106 (23-44)

The Bulls’ young duo of Zach LaVine and Bobby Portis scored 18 and 19 apiece but it wasn’t enough to overcome DeAndre Jordan’s 29-point, 18-rebound outing for Los Angeles. Lou Williams chipped in 26 points and five dimes.

Hornets 115 (29-39), Pelicans 119 (39-28)

The Hornets got at least 20 points out of Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, Dwight Howard and Frank Kaminsky but couldn’t overcome the one-two punch of Anthony Davis (31 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks) and Jrue Holiday (25 points, nine assists).

Spurs 108 (38-30), Magic (20-48)

The Magic went just 28-for-82 from the field and turned the ball over 20 times as the Spurs cruised to an effortless win. LaMarcus Aldridge led all scorers with 24 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron, Westbrook and Ben Simmons Hit Triple-Double Milestones appeared first on SLAM.

Afterwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, who led the way with 31 points and 16 rebounds, described seeds 5-10 as a “swamp” and said “only the real alligators will make it out.”

Minnesota is currently fifth with a 39-29 record, but only 1.5 games separate them from the No. 10 Utah Jazz. The other teams in the “swamp” are the Thunder, Spurs, Clippers, and Nuggets.

RELATED
Karl-Anthony Towns With Clutch Performance vs Warriors

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: West ‘Is A Swamp, Only The Real Alligators Will Make It Out’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kevin Durant finished with a game-high 39 points, but was outdueled at crunch time by Towns.

KAT added 16 rebounds, two assists and a steal as Minny snapped a three-game losing streak.

Per the Star Tribune:

“I feel comfortable with all of them because I work on my craft,” Towns said. “Those shots I take, those are not out of the wind. I practice those shots. Obviously, it was harder because of the situation, the defensive pressure, everything like that. But I have an amazing coaching staff here that we work night in and night out with those kinds of situations and pressure to make sure that if the ball is ever to find my hands in those situations I can make the shot.”

Towns sounded more appreciative than vindicated by the offense running through his large hands.

“Obviously, it’s humbling, that they respect the work I put into my craft,” Towns said. “I’m blessed to catch the ball in that kind of situation and be able to capitalize.”

The post Karl-Anthony Towns With Clutch Performance vs Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

The Raptors got their eighth consecutive win with a balanced team effort. They had seven players score in double figures and their bench outscored their starters, 69-63. The Knicks have lost 15 of their 16 games.

Timberwolves 109 (39-29), Warriors 103 (51-16)

It was the Karl-Anthony Towns show in the fourth quarter. The big man scored 14 of his 31 points in the final frame. He also pulled down 16 rebounds to fuel the Wolves to a big win over the Dubs.

Bulls 129 (23-43), Hawks 122 (20-47)

Zach LaVine nailed four clutch free throws to keep the Hawks at arm’s length. He and Bobby Portis each finished with 21 points. Taurean Prince went off for 38 points in the loss.

Jazz 116 (37-30), Pelicans 99 (38-28)

Utah’s backcourt went off in New Orleans. Ricky Rubio had 30 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists and Donovan Mitchell added 27 points. Anthony Davis had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks in the loss.

Nuggets 130 (37-30), Kings 104 (21-46)

Gary Harris, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic combined to score 61 points. They held the Kings to 19 percent three and they hit 15 three-pointers in response. Jokic had his seventh triple-double of the season, too, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing 11 boards.

Rockets 105 (52-14), Mavs 82 (21-46)

James Harden sat this one out so Eric Gordon carried the scoring load. Gordon had 26, aided by 24 points and 12 dimes from Chris Paul. The Rockets clinched a playoff spot with the win.

Pacers 99 (39-28), Celtics 97 (46-21)

Terry Rozier missed a shot at the buzzer that would’ve tied the game against Victor Oladipo and the Pacers. Oladipo had a game-high 27 points, scoring 7 of those points in the game’s final 2 minutes. Kyrie Irving exited the game early due to a sore left knee.

Sixers 120 (36-29), Nets 97 (21-46)

The Sixers had eight players score in double-figures. They held the Nets to 34 percent shooting and held a 27-point advantage.

Lakers 127 (30-36), Cavs 113 (38-28)

Isaiah Thomas went off in his first game against his former squad. Thomas scored 20 points and handed out 9 dimes, helping the Lakers blow out the Cavaliers. Julius Randle was way too much for Cleveland to handle, too. He had a career-best 36 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 7 assists.

The post Post Up: IT’s Time appeared first on SLAM.

Detroit’s star-studded duo of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond continued to play well with both players rocking Air Jordans in the Pistons 115-106 win over the Nets. Griffin wore a fresh pair of XXXIIs while Drummond once again took the floor in the “Black Toe” XIVs.

Closing out, special birthday shoutout to Isaiah Thomas who celebrated his born day with the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 BHM.

Peep the rest of the night’s NBA kicks in our latest recap.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

The 14 reserves — seven from each conference — announced on TNT’s Inside the NBA round out the player pool (with 24 players in all) for LeBron James and Stephen Curry to choose from. As the leading vote-getters in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, LeBron and Steph are captains and will choose the remainder of their squad according to the new rules.

The reserves, as selected by the coaches:

East: Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Bradley Beal (Wizards), John Wall (Wizards), Victor Oladipo (Pacers), Kevin Love (Cavaliers), Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks), Al Horford (Celtics)

West: Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Russell Westbrook (Thunder), Klay Thompson (Warriors), Jimmy Butler (Timberwolves), Draymond Green (Warriors), LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves)

Two of the more surprising West snubs: Paul George and Chris Paul. There was also some talk Lou Williams, in the midst of a career season, could get chosen. Beal, Oladipo, Porzingis and Towns will all be making their All-Star debuts.

LeBron, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan were named as starters from the East while Steph, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins will represent the West. However, with conference affiliation no longer determining the makeup of each team, who plays with who will all come down to how the draft shakes out.

Since LeBron got more votes than Steph, he’ll have the first pick. All the starters must be taken before any of the reserves. Steph, meanwhile, gets first pick on the reserves. Look here for more info on how the new rules work.

This year’s game, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is on February 18th and will start at 8:00 pm ET.

The post 2018 NBA All-Star Game Reserves Announced appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves are said to have shot the deal down.

Story: The Los Angeles Clippers proposed a blockbuster deal to the Minnesota Timberwolves involving forward Blake Griffin and center Karl-Anthony Towns, league sources told @BBallInsiders. https://t.co/08sEABEfgw

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 13, 2018

Griffin makes $29.5 million this season and Towns is owed $6.2 million, making a one-to-one swap impossible.

Per Basketball Insiders:

The Los Angeles Clippers proposed a blockbuster deal to the Minnesota Timberwolves involving forward Blake Griffin and center Karl-Anthony Towns, league sources told Basketball Insiders.

 

The trade proposal didn’t advance past an exploratory call from the Clippers as Minnesota declined, league sources told Basketball Insiders. Minnesota views Towns, the former No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 draft, as a franchise-caliber player and a vital piece of the future who is not for sale at this time.

 

As a result, additional Timberwolves players needed to make the trade work financially were not discussed, league sources told Basketball Insiders.

The post Report: Clippers Proposed Blake Griffin – Karl-Anthony Towns Trade appeared first on SLAM.

For the second straight game, the Celtics held their opponents to a season-low in scoring. One game after limiting the Cavs to 88 points, Boston held the Timberwolves to 84, including just 19 in each of the first two quarters. Minnesota shot 37 percent, despite getting 25 points from Karl Anthony-Towns on 9-16 shooting. He also had a career-high 23 rebounds. Boston had five players score in double figures, led by 18 from Marcus Smart off the bench. Jayson Tatum only had two field goals, but this was one of them:

Jayson Tatum putting KAT on a poster! (via @celtics) pic.twitter.com/W8SiZgw67B

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 6, 2018

76ers 114 (19-19), Pistons 78 (20-17)

The Sixers led by 17 after a quarter and 30 after a half in the night’s biggest blowout. Joel Embiid had 23 points and Ben Simmons had 19 points and nine assists to lead Philly. The Sixers also made 14 threes for the game, including three each from JJ Redick, Robert Covington, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Tobias Harris led Detroit with 14.

Ben Simmons cares not for your defense. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/wmAjCXSt4l

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 6, 2018

Raptors 129 (27-10), Bucks 110 (20-17)

Jonas Valanciunas scored all 20 of his points in the third quarter as Toronto outscored Milwaukee 43-19 in the period to pull away. It was the Raptors’ second win over the Bucks in less than a week. Serge Ibaka (21 points) and DeMar DeRozan (20 points) joined Valanciunas as three 20-plus-point Raptor scorers. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 to lead the Bucks.

Welcome to Lithuania @JValanciunas w/ 15 & 11 pic.twitter.com/7rUK9yjZjj

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 6, 2018

Heat 107 (21-17), Knicks 103 (OT) (18-21)

Doug McDermott hit a three with a second to go in regulation to send the game to overtime, but Miami hit four free throws in the final 25 seconds of the extra session to earn the win. The Knicks have now lost three in a row and seven out of eight. Courtney Lee scored 24 for the Knicks, and Michael Beasley had 20 points and 10 rebounds. All five Heat starters scored in double figures, but Wayne Ellington led the way with 24.

McBuckets. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/c08sY9Z0e4

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 6, 2018

Bulls 127 (14-25), Mavericks 124 (13-27)

The Bulls opened the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run to take the lead from the Mavericks, then held on despite some late heroics from Dennis Smith Jr. Chicago led by eight with under 30 seconds left, but Smith hit two threes and scored eight total points to put pressure on the Bulls. Justin Holiday made all four of his free throws in that span and Yogi Ferrell missed what would have been a game-tying three at the buzzer. Wesley Matthews had 24 points and Harrison Barnes had 23 to lead the Mavericks, while Kris Dunn scored 32 to lead all scorers.

Great pass by Niko, great cut by Lauri: pic.twitter.com/Xyk62TLNSm

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 6, 2018

Spurs 103 (27-13), Suns 89 (15-26)

Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili scored 21 points each to lead the Spurs over the Suns on a night where LaMarcus Aldridge and Danny Green both sat out. San Antonio benefited from 29 points off 23 Phoenix turnovers and outscored the Suns 31-13 in fast-break points. Devin Booker led the Suns with 21.

Josh Jackson with the pass (via @suns) pic.twitter.com/5mS27Gp1Tv

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 6, 2018

Nuggets 99 (21-17), Jazz 91 (16-23)

Denver got 26 a piece from Trey Lyles and Jamal Murray to withstand a late Jazz run. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz 38-16 in the third quarter and eventually led by 21 in the fourth, but Utah managed to climb within eight in the final minute. Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell each had 15 points for the Jazz.

looks not needed here but found pic.twitter.com/9Tw2ibZuPQ

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 6, 2018

Wizards 102 (23-16), Grizzlies 100 (12-27)

Bradley Beal had his second 30-point game (34 tonight) in the last six days to lead the Wizards to a too-close-for-comfort win in Memphis. Despite leading by 15 with 8:40 to go, the Wizards needed to win it at the line. Tyreke Evans (26 points) brought the Grizzlies within a point on a three with 18 seconds left, but Beal and Markieff Morris both capitalized from the stripe to keep Washington ahead.

Here, have a John Wall windmill (via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/7u7ZXrG3h7

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 6, 2018

Trail Blazers 110 (20-18), Hawks 89 (10-28)

Seven Trail Blazers scored in double figures, led by CJ McCollum, who had 20 points on 8-13 shooting. As a team, Portland shot 54 percent from the field, compared to 36 percent for Atlanta. Dennis Schroder had 14 points to lead the Hawks.

SHOULDA KNOWN BY NOW…

EAZY DUZ IT pic.twitter.com/YgdRmKlvJk

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 6, 2018

Hornets 108 (15-23), Lakers 94 (11-27)

Kemba Walker had 19 points and Jeremy Lamb had 17 as the UConn alumni led the Hornets over the Lakers. Lonzo Ball returned for L.A. after missing the last six games with a shoulder injury and scored 11 points. Brandon Ingram had 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Lakers.

Missed you, Lonzo! (via @Lakers) pic.twitter.com/Nm3IiXgdOp

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 6, 2018

The post Post Up: Locked in appeared first on SLAM.

Towns unwisely fired back in the comments section of Embiid’s Instagram post.

Embiid, who finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the victory Tuesday night, re-affirmed his position as the NBA’s undisputed king of digital put downs.

Joel Embiid with the picture-perfect eurostep pic.twitter.com/V3ph4UXCYX

— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) December 13, 2017

Per the Star Tribune:

In overtime, the 76ers ended a four-game losing streak by outscoring the Wolves 18-12.

 

“It should never have got there,” Towns said. “I should have made the play I needed to make. I failed my team tonight. Things like that happen. I’ve got to look in the mirror and I have to be better next game. It’s not good for me not to come through for my teammates.”

 

Asked what frustrated him most Tuesday, Towns said: “I’m more frustrated with 20 seconds left, they threw the ball to Joel Embiid and I didn’t make the stop I needed to make. My teammates trust me with the assignment, and I failed them. That hurts.”

The post Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns Talk Trash on Instagram appeared first on SLAM.

The Minnesota Timberwolves “need to get in better shape if we’re tired,” suggests Butler.

Butler: "I think we need to get in better shape if we’re tired. Do whatever it takes for this team, this organization to win. If you’re tired, run some extra laps after practice.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 13, 2017

Karl-Anthony Towns logged 48 minutes and Butler was on the court for 45 minutes in Tuesday night’s 118-112 overtime loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

Per the Star Tribune:

“We need to get in better shape if we’re tired,” [Butler] said. “Do whatever it takes for this team, for this organization to win. If you’re tired, run some extra laps after practice.”

 

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau steadfastly shortened his bench rotation to essentially three players these last two weeks while reserve forward Nemanja Bjelica has missed nine games because of sprained foot and a healthy Shabazz Muhammad has been dropped from it altogether.

 

“Minutes are minutes,” [Taj] Gibson said. “You just have to play through them. The game was about runs. I don’t know, you can say it’s the minutes, you can say a lot of different things.”

The post Jimmy Butler: Fatigue No Excuse for Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

It wasn’t that long ago that Towns was named the Gatorade Athlete of the Year. Now that Towns is in the League, he’s partnered with Gatorade to help with their Play It Forward program. The program funds youth sports all throughout the country. We caught up with KAT, who is averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds this season, to talk about that and much more.

SLAM: As a New Jersey native, you probably understand how huge the Jelly Fam is in New York and in Jersey. Now that Isaiah Washington‘s in Minnesota, have you had a chance to meet him?

Karl-Anthony Towns: I’ve been able to meet him once. He has a lot of respect of mine, [I] love what he’s doing out there. He doesn’t realize that he’s affected a lot of little kids’ lives. I respect the way he handles himself. And [he’s] putting on for Minnesota as well. He’s doing a great job of doing what he does best, which is making them layups.

SLAM: We gonna see you coming down the lane, doing the jelly now?

KAT: [Laughs] I think I’ve hit the jelly a couple of times in my career so far. I’ve definitely made some layups that had a lot of jelly on ‘em.

SLAM: Were you doing stuff like that when you were in high school, trying to come up with new moves?

KAT: I definitely remember doing a lot of things like that back in the day. It was always going to the park and working on my layup package. Just finding different ways to score when it was an unorthodox position. Especially my time I had with Kyrie when he was in high school and we were practicing together and working out together. He’s one of the masters of the jelly. I was always trying to follow him on layups so I could make myself a better player.

SLAM: Kyrie’s bag is unlimited, but it’s interesting to watch him warmup pregame because he’s so disciplined. The flashy part of his game is built on a solid foundation. 

KAT: I’ve always known him being disciplined because that’s what he has to be. When you’re the point guard you always have to be the most disciplined person on the floor. You’re the one with the ball in your hand the most. When you’re a person of his stature, there’s a reason why he’s had success. It’s because he’s been able to stay disciplined to his workout regimen and his skillset, but to his mind and never change it, regardless of how the game may go. He sticks to the gameplan and just continues to grind out wins and wins. That’s why he’s so highly regarded.

SLAM: That whole movement’s definitely helping a lot of kids. Who were some of your inspirations when you were growing up?

KAT: My first inspirations were my parents, the way they raised me and the way they taught me morals and values and how to be a man. Basketball-wise, I always wanted to be playing like Magic Johnson, always wanted to impact the game like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, KG, Tim Duncan, always wanted to win championships like I was Bill Russell, and wanted to impact the culture like I was Michael Jordan. You learn through all these stories and you just try to implement yourself into the best situation possible.

SLAM: How’d those amazing Halloween Hyperdunks come to life?

KAT: I have always respected [Kickstradomis’s] work and we just had some conversations and we decided to try to impact the culture and the game. We came up with the Halloween kicks and obviously he killed it. I’m glad I was able to go out there and make ‘em look good.

SLAM: What was the process in getting those?

KAT: He’s such a pure talent so when I was talking to him about the Halloween kicks I threw out something about Jason and he made it work. He threw some Halloween ideas at me, made me think about Jason X, and he thought about Jason X. I think he brought it up to me, said, How would this look? I said it would look really cool and he made something crazy out of it.

SLAM: Gatorade’s using Play It Forward to help young athletes across the nation. What are the benefits of the program?

KAT: Just the funding to keep youth sports going, it’s amazing. You’ve been seeing a double-digit decline in youth sports throughout the past decade. I’m very happy to be partnered with a brand like Gatorade who’s committed to combating this by providing grants to keep athletic programs funded across the country. It’s amazing when you think about how much youth sports has helped me in my life and my career. I couldn’t imagine not being able to play baseball or play basketball because of funding.

—

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @maxresetar.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Talks Jelly Fam, Workouts with Kyrie and his Custom Sneakers appeared first on SLAM.

Minnesota’s big three responded to a disheartening loss on Friday night by going out and putting numbers on the board. Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 32 points and 12 rebounds, Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and Andrew Wiggins added 21 points.

KAT (32 PTS, 12 REBS) tallies his league-leading 16th double-double of the season in the @Timberwolves' W! #AllEyesNorth pic.twitter.com/fVWWOhFRCk

— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2017

Taj Gibson pulled down 14 rebounds (7 offensive and 7 defensive) to help the Timberwolves bully the Suns on the glass. The big three combined to score 78 total points. Besides winning the glass, the Wolves also came up with 12 steals that led to 30 points off turnovers.

For the Suns, Mike James came off the bench to score 26 points while Devin Booker sat with an injured right big toe.

Heat 100 (10-9), Bulls 93 (3-15)

The Heat scored just seven points in the first quarter, the fewest in team history for an opening period. But they got cooking in the second and fourth quarters, scoring a combined 74 points in those frames.

Miami had only five players for the entirety of the fourth and Goran Dragic had 14 of his 24 points in those 12 minutes. James Johnson added 11 points, too, and they shot 67 percent to close the game out and win their third straight.

Dragic scores 24 PTS, including 14 in the fourth, to propel the @MiamiHeat to their 3rd straight victory! #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/IIVvd1MSHX

— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2017

Nets 98 (6-12), Grizzlies 88 (7-12)

The Grizzlies have lost eight in a row. Despite a tie game at halftime, Memphis lost tonight’s third quarter, 32-18, and never made it back into the game. The Grizzlies haven’t lost eight straight since February 11-March 3, 2009, according to NBA.com.

DeMarre Carroll scored a season-best 24 points for the Nets.

DeMarre Carroll lifts the @BrooklynNets to victory with a season-high 24 PTS! #WeGoHard pic.twitter.com/BxJIHhqnIP

— NBA (@NBA) November 27, 2017

The post Post Up: Run With the Wolves appeared first on SLAM.

Towns, 22, doesn’t smoke or drink.

Karl-Anthony Towns has never smoked or drank a day in his life so why is he advocating for the use medicinal marijuana in the NBA? To understand the personal reasons behind his belief read this: https://t.co/AdRGh4sieE

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 15, 2017

The big fella agrees with former NBA commissioner David Stern’s stance on the benefits of medical marijuana.

Per ESPN:

If you’re commissioner Adam Silver and could make one change to the rules in the NBA, what would it be?

 

Towns: “I agree with David Stern with marijuana. You don’t have to actually make it “Mary J” [or] “Half Baked.” You don’t have to do it like that, but you could use the [chemical] properties in it to make a lot of people better. That’s something that Adam Silver has to do. That’s out of my control, but maybe legalizing marijuana. Not fully legal where people are chimneys but using [marijuana] as a beneficial factor as an athlete, as a person living daily. I think a lot of times fans forget that sometimes there may be some things that are banned that may not be the greatest for playing basketball, but for everyday living off the court, sometimes those things that are legal could help us.”

 

Is the legalization of marijuana discussed among players?

 

Towns: “Yeah, I think it’s discussed. But I look at it from my experience with it. I’ve never smoked, I’ve never taken a strand, I’ve never taken properties of it, whatever the case may be. But I deal with kids all the time at autistic schools, Reed Academy in New Jersey. My girlfriend has an autistic nephew, and you realize those properties of marijuana can do a lot of good for kids and for adults. These guys, just because we’re NBA athletes, we’re not super humans. Some of us have conditions that could use [medicinal marijuana] to our benefit for everyday living, just taking care of our kids and our families.”

Related
David Stern Says Medical Marijuana Should Be Allowed in the NBA

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: NBA Should Legalize Marijuana appeared first on SLAM.

KAT goes with the custom Nike Hyperdunks to celebrate Halloween pic.twitter.com/01J4kmFozp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 31, 2017

Stephen Curry broke out a blue/black colorway of his hit Under Armour Curry 4 while Klay Thompson impressed with a blue/yellow number of his Anta KT3.

Mike Conley snapped more necks with another Air Jordan XXXII PE while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist went with a more stealthy option in the Air Jordan XXXI “Black/Metallic Gold.” The Nike PG1 continued to be a popular option on Monday night and Ed Davis wore a tough black/gum number. Rounding out the rest of the night in kicks, James Harden went with a grey/red version of his adidas Harden Vol.1 and Kristaps Porzingis had another 30 point game in his adidas Crazy Explosive Primeknit 2017 PE as the Knicks won their third straight.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure to give us a follow on our SLAMKICKS Instagram to keep up-to-date with all the latest and greatest in NBA kicks.

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Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State came back from down 18 and used a 9-0 run late in the fourth quarter to take the lead and defeat the Wizards in a heated thriller at Oracle Arena. John Wall missed a three with three seconds to go that would have tied it, then Jodie Meeks missed a desperation heave at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to escape.

It was an emotional game, highlighted by Draymond Green and Bradley Beal getting tangled up late in the first half. Both were tossed:

Well, it’s going down in Oracle! pic.twitter.com/UPIK5G4wMF

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) October 28, 2017

The Wizards went into the locker room up 14 and held that lead through much of the second half, thanks in part to Otto Porter Jr.’s hot shooting. Porter was 7-9 from three for the game and made two of them on back-to-back possessions in the fourth, keeping the pressure on the Warriors. Golden State pulled ahead for good on an Andre Iguodala layup with 3:13 to play.

Rockets 109 (5-1), Hornets 93 (2-3)

James Harden’s triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) powered the Rockets to their fifth win of the season in a game that was closer than the final score indicated. Houston led by just four headed into the fourth quarter, but went on a 9-0 run early in the final period to create some distance. Eric Gordon scored eight points in the final quarter (and 26 overall), including a couple of key threes during the Rockets’ run. Kemba Walker had 26 for Charlotte, while Dwight Howard had 19 points and 16 rebounds.

Magic 114 (4-1), Spurs 87 (4-1)

The Magic are one of the early surprises of the NBA season, and they continued their strong start with a blowout win over the previously unbeaten Spurs. Orlando led by as many as 36 points, led by Evan Fournier’s 25 point performance on 10-12 shooting. Former Spur Jonathon Simmons had 17 off the bench against his former team and in the early going this season has more than doubled his scoring average from last year. LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 11 boards to lead San Antonio.

Orlando’s back at it again (via @OrlandoMagic) pic.twitter.com/ZSJ0oG9Tdn

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) October 27, 2017

Nuggets 105 (2-3), Hawks 100 (1-5)

Paul Millsap enjoyed a sweet return to Atlanta as the Nuggets escaped with a narrow win over the Hawks. Though Denver led for the entire fourth quarter, the outcome was in doubt almost the entire way. Millsap got the Nuggets going with their first basket of the game and helped seal the victory with seven points over the final 3:23.

Denver shot just 4-20 from three, but Nikola Jokic dominated inside to the tune of 18 points and 15 rebounds. Dennis Schroeder had 20 points and six assists for the Hawks, who have now lost five straight games. They’ll look to snap their skid Sunday with a home game against Milwaukee.

Denver caught them napping (via @nuggets) pic.twitter.com/hmcjqrzK8F

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) October 28, 2017

Knicks 107 (1-3), Nets 86 (3-3)

The Knicks’ first win of the season came against their cross-town rivals, thanks to a 30-point outburst from Kristaps Porzingis. KP did more than just put up numbers, however. He made noise:

Posters, courtesy of KP. pic.twitter.com/ejEDRd1LxC

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) October 28, 2017

Rookie Frank Ntilikina made his home debut and gave fans a taste of what’s to come. Here was one of his five assists:

French dime. pic.twitter.com/FruDYe4aTr

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) October 28, 2017

The Nets, coming off a huge win over the Cavs at home, led by five after the first quarter, but promptly gave up a 10-1 run to start the second. The Knicks led by five at halftime and never trailed again, eventually going up by as many as 23.

Timberwolves 119 (3-3), Thunder 116 (2-3)

For the second time in a week, a Timberwolves-Thunder game was decided at the buzzer. This time, it was Carmelo Anthony who missed a three as time wound down, allowing Minnesota to earn its second win over Oklahoma City in five days.

In a game that saw 31 lead changes and 15 ties, Karl Anthony Towns was the star, posting 33 and 19. Jimmy Butler had 25, 13 of them coming in the second quarter, in his return to the court after missing two games with an upper respiratory infection. For the Thunder, Russell Westbrook had his typical boxscore-stuffing game with 27 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.

Gotta pick him up! (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/GTqcJEREsR

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) October 28, 2017

Raptors 101 (3-2), Lakers 92 (2-3)

Serge Ibaka got the Raptors going early as Toronto picked up a road win in Los Angeles.

SERGE!!! (via @Raptors) pic.twitter.com/ZHHUqJRoYB

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) October 28, 2017

The Lakers committed 21 turnovers and shot just 3-23 from three. Yet somehow, LA hung tough, even leading into the fourth quarter. A 17-4 run from Toronto, however, ended the intrigue and bumped the Raptors over .500 for the season. DeMar DeRozan had 24 points to lead the Raptors, while Julius Randle had 18 for the Lakers.

The post Post Up: Golden State Erases 18-Point Deficit to Defeat Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets were able to hold off a fourth quarter comeback attempt from the Hawks after D’Angelo Russell stepped up to hit a pair of clutch jumpers. Russell, who had 10 dimes, was part of a balanced scoring effort by the Brooklyn boys. He and Caris LeVert both scored 16 points, DeMarre Carroll put in 17 and Allen Crabbe added 20 off the bench.

D-Lo Caris. Young Nets out and running (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/ZKbczSxq6s

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 22, 2017

Dennis Schroder went down with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

Timberwolves 115 (2-1), Thunder 113 (1-2)

Russell Westbrook was just about unstoppable in the fourth quarter. His 15 fourth quarter points spearheaded the Thunder’s comeback after they were losing 88-75 after the third.

Westbrook ended up with 31 points, complemented by 23 from Carmelo Anthony and 14 from Paul George. Carmelo hit a three-ball from the left wing with 5.1 seconds remaining to give OKC a one-point lead. But Andrew Wiggins wasn’t going to be denied. He pulled up from just inside halfcourt and banked in a buzzer-beating jumpshot to give the Timberwolves the win.

Andrew Wiggins goes glass to send the Thunder home!!! (via @nbatv) pic.twitter.com/4GlkaMVuaQ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 23, 2017

He and Karl-Anthony Towns both scored 27 for Minnesota. They were helped out by 19 points and 9 assists from Jeff Teague, 15 points and 6 assists from Jimmy Butler and 11 points and 10 rebounds from Taj Gibson.

Pelicans 119 (1-2), Lakers 112 (1-2)

Jordan Clarkson led a furious comeback, an extended 29-6 run, that helped the Lakers overcome a 22-point deficit to take a five-point lead in the fourth. The Pelicans opened up their lead throughout the first three quarters by pounding the paint and giving Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins plenty of touches.

Nah, how'd AD pull this off? (via @nbatv) pic.twitter.com/BVpeDzJKru

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 23, 2017

But Clarkson, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle didn’t quit. It took big shots from E’Twaun Moore and Jameer Nelson (in his first game with the Pels) to put the Lakers down.

Davis finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks, Cousins added 22 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. The young Lakers got plenty of contributions in the losing effort. Clarkson had 24 points and 5 dimes off the bench, while Kuzma scored 20 points and Lonzo Ball filled up the stat sheet, registering 13 assists, 8 rebounds and 8 points.

The post Post Up: Timberwolves Escape Oklahoma City appeared first on SLAM.

Butler will let Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau handle the yelling.

From minivan to Gulfstream with Jimmy Butler, for the @SInow NBA preview: https://t.co/gRZFXCrrgk

— Lee Jenkins (@SI_LeeJenkins) October 10, 2017

Butler, 28, says he was “too emotional, too confrontational” in the Windy City.

Per SI:

Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves can expect to hear a similar mantra for the next six months. Butler believes Thibodeau has mellowed a bit since the Chicago days (“He’s still up and yelling, don’t get me wrong, but he’s gained this whole human element”) and ponders whether he can do the same. Criticism of Butler’s leadership in Chicago was poorly timed, but not unfounded. His tongue-lashings can actually be harsher than Thibodeau’s. Butler gives an example: “What are you doing right now? What is going on in your mind? Who the f— do you think you are? If you shoot that ball again, I’m throwing it upside your head.” Butler pauses to assess his words. “O.K., that’s what I’d want to hear. But not everybody is the same, and right now, you’re probably scared of me and want to be left alone.”

 

Like [Kevin Garnett] with Flip Saunders, Butler can address Thibodeau on the sideline and channel him in the locker room. “I’m able to tell Thibs, ‘Chill out, I’ll talk to Karl,’” Butler says. “And I’m able to tell Karl, ‘If you come off the ball screen, I need you to be up, I can’t have you back. That’s what Thibs wants.’” The Timberwolves, despite their glut of young talent, did not resemble a Thibodeau team in Year 1. They finished 20 games under .500 and 28th in field goal percentage defense. Enter Butler, a stopper, scorer and emerging playmaker who transforms a promising collective into a potent core. “Great intensity, great passion,” Towns says. “I just don’t know if I’m going to listen to the country.”

 

“I’m not going to do what I did before,” Butler vows. “I can’t be like, ‘Look, motherf——, here’s what we’re gonna do.’ I was too emotional, too confrontational.”

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The post Jimmy Butler Aims to Be a Better Teammate in Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.