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Jazz

The New York Knicks survived the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA preseason games 115-110 Monday night at the Madison Square Garden in New York.&nbsp;
The game marked the first time the two teams faced each other following their blockbuster trade two weeks ago. Minnesota notably sent former franchise player and star Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a future 1st round pick.&nbsp;
The Knicks cruised to their third straight win in the preseason with Towns leading the way, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds in 29 minutes against his former team. Towns and close friend Anthony Edwards shared some cool and funny moments in the game, laughing and pointing at each other.&nbsp;
Edwards finished with 31 points with an impressive 8-13 shooting from three in Minnesota&rsquo;s loss. This was a strong effort for the young star following his productive summer playing for Team USA in the Olympics and he&rsquo;s off to a great start this season.
Randle was not yet able to make his debut for the Timberwolves in the preseason but he has been ramping up and will play in Minnesota&rsquo;s next game against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo on the other hand, continued his strong preseason play with 15 points and 7 assists. He has developed a nice chemistry with Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards and is one of the main reasons for Minnesota trading away their franchise cornerstone. DiVincenzo figures to be a rotation player for the Timberwolves from the get-go and should have some starter minutes in place of aging Mike Conley.&nbsp;

The New York Knicks survived the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA preseason games 115-110 Monday night.

Knicks outlast Timberwolves in first meeting since blockbuster trade

The Dallas Mavericks have stolen away homecourt from the Minnesota Timberwolves following their huge win on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Day 31 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The Mavericks trailed by 4 with three minutes left after Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns made huge threes to send the raucous crowd in Minneapolis into a frenzy.&nbsp;
However, Jaden McDaniels committed a crucial turnover with the Wolves up 4 to start the run for the Mavs. Luka Doncic hit a big three and then got a hockey assist to PJ Washington for another trey that gave them the lead.
Doncic sealed the deal after making a tough stepback jumper from the right wing over the outstretched arms of McDaniels to put the game out of reach.
The Wolves had a last crack at it when Mike Conley was fouled shooting a three, but they could not get the rebound off an intentional miss for a possible three-point attempt.
The Mavs, who entered the game as the 5th seed, have now stolen homecourt advantage over the 3rd seeded Wolves heading into Game 2, still at the Target Center in Minnesota.
Check out our recap here:
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Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving today: Luka: 📊33 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists 3 steals Kyrie: 📊30 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists Mavs steal homecourt from Wolves, win 108-105 in Game 1 <a href="https://t.co/ZjoovIWZGs">pic.twitter.com/ZjoovIWZGs</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1793581144241488300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Dallas Mavericks have stolen away homecourt from the Minnesota Timberwolves following their huge win on Wednesday.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 32 Recap: Dallas steals homecourt advantage from Minnesota

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. has been named the 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, the league announced Wednesday night.
Conley, 36, tightly won the race. The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award featured 10 players nominated across the league. This includes the Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; Mikal Bridges; New York Knicks&rsquo; Jalen Brunson; Indiana Pacers&rsquo; TJ McConnell; Cleveland Cavaliers&rsquo; Georges Niang; Boston Celtics&rsquo; Al Horford; New Orleans Pelicans; Larry Nance Jr.; Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s Jalen Williams; Denver Nuggets&rsquo; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope; Dallas Mavericks&rsquo; Dwight Powell; Sacramento Kings&rsquo; Harrison Barnes; and Orlando Magic&rsquo;s Markelle Fultz. Conley Jr. finished with a total of 1172 points with 51 1st place votes (equivalent to 10 points), 45 2nd place votes (seven points), 49 3rd place votes (five points), 23 4th place points (equivalent to three points), and 33 5th place votes (equivalent to one point).&nbsp;
Conley Jr. has now won the award for the second time, having previously earned the honor in the 2018-19 season.
The 36-year-old point guard was recognized as the player who was deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to the team.
Behind Conley&rsquo;s good play, the Timberwolves finished 3rd in the Western Conference with a 56-26 record this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. has been named the 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year.

Mike Conley Jr. secures 2023-2024 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year

Day 7 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs had some intense matchups in each of the series&rsquo; game 3&rsquo;s. The Indiana Pacers and the Dallas Mavericks gained control on their home court after prevailing over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves on the other hand moved one win away from sweeping their series after dominating the Phoenix Suns on the road.
Check out the recap here:
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FINAL SCORE THREAD 🧵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 3 🏀 MIL 118 - 121 IND | Pacers lead series 2-1 Myles Turner 📊 29 PTS | 47.6% FG | 9 REB | 0 TOV Tyrese Haliburton 📊 18 PTS | 16 AST | 10 REB<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BoomBaby?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BoomBaby</a> <a href="https://t.co/mky2Wr6del">pic.twitter.com/mky2Wr6del</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784022980512882829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 3 🏀 LAC 90 - 101 DAL | Mavs lead series 2-1 Luka Dončić 📊 22 PTS | 10 REB | 9 AST | 2 STL Kyrie Irving 📊 21 PTS | 8-17 FG | 42.9% 3P | 6 AST | 3 REB | 2 STL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/9N0GiJ6niD">pic.twitter.com/9N0GiJ6niD</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784055745585279479?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> - Game 3 🏀 MIN 126 - 109 PHX | Timberwolves lead series 3-0 Anthony Edwards 📊 36 PTS | 12-23 FG | 9 REB | 5 AST | 2 STL Karl-Anthony Towns 📊 18 PTS | 7-16 FG | 3-5 3P | 13 REB Rudy Gobert 📊 19 PTS | 6-8 FG | 14 REB Mike Conley 📊 15 PTS | 6-11 FG | 7 AST | 2&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/4W25UWQmom">pic.twitter.com/4W25UWQmom</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1784099561805582423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2024</a>
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Day 7 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs had some intense matchups in each of the series’ game 3’s.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 7 Recap: Pacers, Cavs control; Timberwolves take a commanding lead

The Minnesota Timberwolves and starting point guard Mike Conley Jr. have agreed to a two-year contract extension, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39558626/veteran-leader-conley-rwolves-agree-2-year-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski</a>. The deal is reported to be $21 million, which will take Conley through the 2025-2026 season.
ANALYSIS: The 36-year-old point guard has been a vital piece to the Timberwolves this season, often being the stabilizer that keeps all of their pieces connected including young stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. Minnesota has a 37-13 record this season when Conley plays, and they are just 2-3 when he&rsquo;s out.&nbsp;
On another note, this all but assures the team will be crossing the second apron. Minnesota has been one of the best teams in the NBA this season, but it has not come cheap, with contract extensions for Edwards and forward Jaden McDaniels set to kick in next season along with Towns' and Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s gargantuan contracts.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and starting point guard Mike Conley Jr. have agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Mike Conley Jr. agrees to a two-year extension with the Timberwolves

The Miami Heat have acquired guard Terry Rozier in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for guard Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick, as reported by <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski</a>.
Rozier, 29, is averaging a career-best 23.2 points this season along with 6.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds through 30 games this season. So far, the 37-year-old Lowry, a 2019 NBA champion, has put up 8.2 points, 4 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game through 37 games.
The move gives Miami (24-19, sixth in the East) a significant upgrade at the point-guard position with a player in his prime in Rozier. Lowry was moved to the bench for the past two games in favor of Caleb Martin as his age has caught up to him and led to a decline in his quality of play.
According to Wojnarowski, the 2027 first-round pick is lottery-protected in 2027 and becomes unprotected if it conveys through 2028.
The Hornets, under new ownership (Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin) in the post-Michael Jordan era, are starting to make moves and embrace a full rebuild around young star LaMelo Ball and 2023 first-round selection Brandon Miller. 
With Charlotte planning to continue accumulating future assets, notable veterans Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges and PJ Washington are names to monitor as the NBA's Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches.

The Heat have acquired Terry Rozier in a trade with the Hornets in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick.

Hornets trade Terry Rozier to Heat for Kyle Lowry, first-round pick

For a team that has endured losing for almost a decade, the Minnesota Timberwolves sure are savoring the early-season success they&rsquo;re experiencing right now.
After a series of underlying factors such as bad management, poor roster construction and player fallouts, the Wolves' success has been unprecedented (and sweeter than ever).
They are currently 30-12 at the halfway point of the season, which is the best mark in the West. They are the first team in the Western Conference to reach 30 wins, trailing only the Boston Celtics for the best record in the NBA.&nbsp;
Minnesota is on a 60-win pace, and they have the easiest schedule remaining in the entire league.
They are also on pace to surpass the franchise record of 58 wins in a season, which occurred in 2004 when they were led by Kevin Garnett (the best player in franchise history), Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell.
The next goal for this Wolves team? Win their first playoff series since that 2004 season.
After two decades of struggles, what changed for the Wolves? Let's break down their turnaround.
DEFENSE
The Wolves currently have the best defense in the league by a wide margin, allowing 105.8 points per 100 possessions (the runner-up is allowing 108.3 points per 100 possessions). 
They guard opponents unlike any other team in the NBA led by three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert at the rim. Surrounding Gobert are potential All-NBA-caliber defenders at the wings in Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Anthony Edwards and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Although their offense is still suspect and a work in progress, the team knows how to lock down the opposition.
ALL-STAR-CALIBER TRIO PLAYING WELL
The Wolves' trio of Gobert, Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have been terrific.
The team is led by Edwards, a charismatic and burgeoning young superstar who has drawn comparisons to all-time great shooting guards Dwyane Wade (due to their similar build and playing style) and Michael Jordan (due to some eerie resemblances in their aerial capabilities, footwork and bank shots).
Edwards constantly wows the crowd with highlight-reel plays, and he gives the Wolves a true alpha, leader and closer. He's someone they can count on in the clutch, delivering when it matters the most.&nbsp;
Bruce Brown, an adversary of the Wolves during their last playoff run when he was on the top-seeded Denver Nuggets, said that Edwards was the toughest guy he had to guard all postseason. He also added that Minnesota was the toughest team that Denver faced on their way to their championship.
The Wolves followed up this praise by beating the Nuggets in November and climbing to the No. 1 seed in the West.
The 22-year-old credited his stint with Team USA in the FIBA World Cup for being able to play in a system rather than just relying on isos all the time. Edwards was the leading scorer of the USA squad that finished just fourth, but the experience was invaluable for Edwards and prepared him for the season.
Gobert is thriving once again after a down season a year ago. The 31-year-old is turning heads and serving as the anchor of the best defense in the league. He is one of the front runners for the Defensive Player of the Year award, which would be his fourth (and tie him with Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo for most all-time).
It wasn't long ago that fans were dubbing Minnesota's deal for Gobert as one of the worst trades in NBA history, but Gobert has bounced back beautifully as the front office&rsquo;s vision of playing him with Towns came to fruition.&nbsp;
Like Edwards, Towns is building off a strong stint in the World Cup and has been rock solid for the Wolves. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft is taking a backseat to Edwards for the good of the team.&nbsp; After plenty of losing seasons, Towns will do whatever is takes to win. He set his ego aside and committed to being the best second option in the league, which has had a huge impact on the Wolves.
There have been times when Towns is asked to shoulder more of the offensive load (such as when Edwards was struggling or absent) and he's stepped up in those moments. He has also been incredibly efficient, averaging 21.6 points while shooting 51.1% from the field and 43% from three-point range.
HIGH-LEVEL ROLE PLAYERS
The Wolves' trio is surrounded by quality role players, including starters McDaniels and Mike Conley. Both are nice supplementary pieces, with Conley providing stability as a floor general and shooting to space the floor and McDaniels giving them elite perimeter defense as well as spot-up shooting and occasional shot-making.
Minnesota arguably has the best eight-man rotation in the league, likely rivaled by just Boston and Denver.
In the playoffs, where rotations shrink and coaches tend to play their most trusted players, that's usually seven or eight players.
Off the bench, the Wolves have big man Naz Reid, a 6-foot-9 super scorer who&rsquo;s become a Sixth Man of the Year candidate by providing instant offense. There&rsquo;s also Anderson, a reliable Swiss army knife and point forward who is a playmaker on offense. Alexander-Walker does a little bit of everything, serving as a back-up ballhandler to Conley, lockdown wing defender and three-point shooter.
COMPETENT ORGANIZATION
A huge credit for the Wolves' success this season goes to president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who is the engineer of this roster. His vision and willingness to swing for the fences have paid off in a major way.
Chris Finch, who was hired as the team's head coach in 2021, has done a terrific job and is currently garnering some Coach of the Year buzz for his efforts.
The same goes for new owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, who went all in and weren&rsquo;t afraid to spend for a win-now team that wants to win.&nbsp;
After years of mediocrity, the Timberwolves are finally heading in the right direction. A small-market team that has exceeded all expectations, Minnesota has been one of the feel-good stories of the season &ndash; and they are just getting started.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the best record in the West. What has changed for the Wolves and led to this turnaround?

The Wolves are reaching new heights, and they're just getting started

On Wednesday night, Jayson Tatum delivered a signature performance to steer the Boston Celtics past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120, in a titanic clash between the No. 1 seeds in each conference.
Tatum was magnificent, pouring in 12 of the Celtics&rsquo; 16 points in overtime en route to a season-high 45 points. He shot 13-of-26 from the field, 6-of-11 from three and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line as Boston remained unbeaten at home (18-0)
Jaylen Brown added 35 points and 11 rebounds for Boston, who played without starting center Kristaps Porzingis due to a right knee contusion.
This was the second-straight ovetime game between these two teams, following a 114-109 Wolves win in Minnesota on Nov. 6.
Entering this game, the 28-win Celtics were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference while the 26-win Timberwolves were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.&nbsp;
Karl-Anthony Towns had a valiant effort for an undermanned Wolves team that was playing on the second night of a road back-to-back following yesterday&rsquo;s win at the Orlando Magic. They were without Rudy Gobert (left hip soreness) and Mike Conley (rest).
Towns registered 25 points and 13 rebounds as he started at the 5 with Gobert&rsquo;s absence, but star teammate Anthony Edwards committed two crucial turnovers in OT.
Edwards had a decent 29-point game, but this was overshadowed by his two costly mistakes that flipped the momentum to Boston&rsquo;s favor.
Boston is now 29-8, which is the best record in the NBA. Minnesota drops to 26-11, with only a half-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder (25-11) and Denver Nuggets (26-12).&nbsp;

The Boston Celtics defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120, in a titanic clash between the two No. 1 seeds in each conference.

Jayson Tatum shines as Celtics outlast Wolves in clash of No. 1 seeds

In today&rsquo;s NBA, the league is undeniably dominated by big men. 
The last five MVPs went to Giannis Antetokounmpo (two), Nikola Jokic (two) and Joel Embiid. Rookies Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren stand at a towering 7-foot-4 and 7-foot-1 respectively, and both are starting to make their mark in the NBA.
As the league embraces this new era filled with giants, it is awesome to see the two sub-6-foot guys match up against each other: New Orleans&rsquo; Jose Alvarado and Minnesota&rsquo;s Jordan McLaughlin.
Alvarado and McLaughlin, who are both listed as 5-foot-11 without shoes, have each carved out a role on their squad. The two provide different valuable skills off the bench, and they have been vital pieces to their team&rsquo;s success. 
Alvarado impacts the game on the defensive end by suffocating and pestering ball-handlers. He also comes up with his signature blindside steals, which earned him the nickname Grand Theft Alvarado (GTA). McLaughlin, on the other hand, is a crafty playmaker who sets up the Wolves' offense off the bench and serves as a reliable backup for Mike Conley.&nbsp;
In a league where there are 34 players who are 7-feet or taller this season alone, Alvarado and McLaughlin remain outliers and part of a dying breed.
There are only 12 players who are listed at 6-feet or below in the NBA this season, with the shortest being Markquis Nowell at 5-foot-7 and Jacob Gilyard at 5-foot-8. Together, they represent only 3% of the league population &ndash; which means small guards are largely going extinct in the NBA.
Unless you&rsquo;re an established point guard like Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry or Chris Paul, there has been little to no room for these shorter players on NBA rosters.&nbsp;
The current trend of positionless basketball and do-it-all forwards has certainly hurt these smaller guards. Whether it be less reliance on traditional point guards to set up an offense or getting hunted out for switches defensively, teams have been shifting away from said player prototypes. Even a former All-NBA teamer and super scorer like Isaiah Thomas was virtually driven out of the league mainly because of his unfortunate trait of getting exploited on defense due to his height.
Given this, it&rsquo;s impressive how Alvarado and McLaughlin are staying in the league. This could be attributed to their specific skill-sets. Both guys show that short players still have a place in the NBA as long as they provide value and play a certain role effectively and efficiently. In a league where height is often equated to success, it&rsquo;s refreshing to see two sub-6-foot players hold their own on the court.

As sub-6-foot players, New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado and Minnesota’s Jordan McLaughlin are the last of a dying breed.

Jose Alvarado, Jordan McLaughlin are the last of a dying breed

We&rsquo;re two weeks into the 2023-24 NBA season, which is far too early for overarching declarations, but not too early for a statistical deep dive into some numbers that jumped out at us. Put on your wetsuits.
52&nbsp;
Portland Trail Blazers sophomore Shaedon Sharpe has been assisted on 52% of his made baskets this season, down considerably from the 67% he was assisted on last season. That number dropping, combined with Sharpe&rsquo;s points per game rising (20.1 PPG, up from 9.9 last season), allows us to infer a few things.&nbsp;
First, it shows that Sharpe&rsquo;s role has increased significantly, which we expected. With Damian Lillard gone and Anfernee Simons sidelined for a few months with an injury, Sharpe was the obvious next man up regarding shot attempts. And the 20-year-old isn't afraid to put up shots, as he's attempting over 15 per game.&nbsp;
Secondly, it shows that Sharpe is getting his own buckets. His self-creation ability is one of the main reasons he was the No. 7 overall pick in last year's draft &ndash; despite not playing any college ball &ndash; and he&rsquo;s starting to turn that creation potential into a real skill on a nightly basis.&nbsp;
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Shaedon Sharpe&rsquo;s 26-point second half: <a href="https://t.co/lyhXlJzCcg">pic.twitter.com/lyhXlJzCcg</a>
&mdash; Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UsherNBA/status/1719899721110577389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
36.9&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s how many minutes Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis is playing per game thus far, which would be a career-high. While that number will surely come down as the season progresses &ndash; we don&rsquo;t think Darvin Ham wants to run AD into the ground during the regular season &ndash; it&rsquo;s a good sign nonetheless that he can play that many minutes a night.
Davis is making the most of his minutes too. He is leading the league in blocks per game (3.3) and has shot the ball extremely well from three-point range (42.9%). Maybe more importantly, he&rsquo;s shooting just one three-pointer a game! That&rsquo;s a great number!&nbsp;
100.7&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s the league-leading defensive rating of the Minnesota Timberwolves. This would be the best DRTG in the NBA since the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, who finished the season with a simply outrageous 98.2 DRTG.&nbsp;
Is Minnesota the best defensive team in almost a decade? Probably not, but they do have the potential to be elite defensively, and they are showing that through two weeks. Rudy Gobert is blocking 2.4 shots per game &ndash; much closer to his career average (2.1) than last season, when he was down to 1.4 blocks per game.&nbsp;
Surrounding Gobert is Kyle Anderson (who is still being a pest, while averaging 1.9 steals + blocks per game), a healthy Jaden McDaniels (who solidifies any defense), a 36-year-old Mike Conley (who has lost a step but still provides intelligent play on both ends), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (who is blocking shots like a madman, with a 2.7 block percentage) and budding (budded?) superstar Anthony Edwards (who is as bought in defensively as he ever has been).&nbsp;
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Anthony Edwards is a two-way force - hard closeout + block on defense - tough PnR euro + finish through contact on offense <a href="https://t.co/G3zZJNVJKf">pic.twitter.com/G3zZJNVJKf</a>
&mdash; Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) <a href="https://twitter.com/WolvesClips/status/1720972196477120711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
50&nbsp;
That is Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s AST% right now. Seriously. If a player on the Indiana Pacers makes a shot, there&rsquo;s a coin flip chance that Haliburton assisted it. Sustainable? Maybe not. But I am confident in calling Haliburton a top-three facilitator in the league, and he could absolutely get to No. 1 on that list if his game continues to ascend at the pace it has in his first few seasons.
Haliburton has flash in his game, of course:&nbsp;
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Haliburton with the no-look pass🙈<a href="https://t.co/daZesj2sml">pic.twitter.com/daZesj2sml</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1719136140861813166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
But like all the great distributors, some of his best passes don&rsquo;t even end up as assists &ndash; like this cross-court dime against Charlotte last Saturday:&nbsp;
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This is a great cross court pass from Haliburton and swing to Buddy. Pay attention to Charlotte's defense Melo sprints over to Brown but no one else tries to make a run at Hield until after he's making the catch. <a href="https://t.co/A0msdX9Cih">pic.twitter.com/A0msdX9Cih</a>
&mdash; Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MoDakhil_NBA/status/1721252256899846227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
10.3 and 13.8&nbsp;
The first number is how many assists Chris Paul records for every turnover he commits. Paul&rsquo;s facilitation is still elite, and the Golden State Warriors' second unit is benefitting mightily because of it. Point God lives on.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Here come the Dubs 👀 <a href="https://t.co/oPW29CMIgg">pic.twitter.com/oPW29CMIgg</a>
&mdash; Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1721331455669014769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
The second number, however, is Paul&rsquo;s three-point percentage this season. Paul is struggling to score regularly right now.&nbsp;
Dario Saric has been a nice surprise for Golden State off the bench, Jonathan Kuminga is scoring nearly 13 points per game and Gary Payton II is shooting the ball well too. Everyone plays better when Paul is distributing at an elite level like this.
81.0
That&rsquo;s Mark Williams&rsquo; field goal percentage through six games. The Charlotte Hornets' second-year big man is looking like the big rim presence the franchise has desperately needed in recent years. 
Williams was solid in a starting role down the stretch of last season &ndash; and he appears to have refined pretty much every aspect of his game in year two.&nbsp;
As a prospect, Williams was widely perceived as a defensive force with minimal offensive ability. But seemingly every game, Williams gets more comfortable on the offensive end, showcased by a career-high 27 points on November 4.

Quinn Everts dives into some interesting numbers that jumped out from the first two weeks of the 2023-24 NBA season.

Picking Cherries: 7 NBA statistics that stand out so far this season

We may be entering uncharted waters regarding the James Harden situation in Philadelphia.&nbsp;
The 10-time All-Star spoke at an Adidas media event in China earlier today and had some choice words about 76ers president Daryl Morey.
&ldquo;Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he&rsquo;s a part of," Harden said. "Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he&rsquo;s a part of again."
This comes in response to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38180876/76ers-ending-trade-talks-james-harden-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski's report</a> on Saturday that the Sixers were <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-sixers-ending-trade-talks-involving-james-harden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking Harden off the trade market</a> and expecting Harden to show up for training camp.&nbsp;
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James Harden: &ldquo;Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be part of an organization that he&rsquo;s a part of. Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be part of an organization that he&rsquo;s a part of again.&rdquo; 😳 <a href="https://t.co/r2Gv07wAH7">pic.twitter.com/r2Gv07wAH7</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1691039621776379904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The root of Harden&rsquo;s displeasure with Morey and the front office comes from the team&rsquo;s unwillingness to offer him a long-term maximum-level contract extension, according to Wojnarowski.&nbsp;
The Sixers had preliminary conversations with the Los Angeles Clippers, Harden&rsquo;s desired destination, but no deal came close to materializing. This was partially due to the Clippers' unwillingness to part ways with Terance Mann as well as Morey's insistence in getting a star-level return for a player of Harden&rsquo;s caliber.
Despite being reportedly taken off the trade market, Harden&rsquo;s desire to play elsewhere has not changed, and he still does not plan to report to training camp, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/4771337/2023/08/12/james-harden-sixers-trade/?access_token=126038&amp;redirected=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Sam Amick</a>. Given his recent comments, one would certainly not expect Harden to change his mind anytime soon.
Harden has already shown his ability to &ldquo;stir the pot&rdquo; when it comes to forcing his way to a new destination. In 2020, Harden requested a trade from the Houston Rockets and when they didn't deal him prior to the start of the season, he responded by showing up late and out-of-shape to training camp and making disparaging comments toward his teammates once the season started. These actions ultimately led to the Rockets dealing the star guard to Brooklyn, where he asked out again just a year later.
However, Harden&rsquo;s request out of Philadelphia differs for two main reasons: his contract and Morey.&nbsp;
In June, he unexpectedly accepted his $35.6 million player option for the 2023-24 season and, in turn, asked to be sent elsewhere. Under this contract agreement, Harden is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. If the star guard is adamant about not playing again for the Sixers, he may face some challenges in holding out of training camp.
As relayed by <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1691064721825513474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s front office insider Bobby Marks</a>, the NBA&rsquo;s Collective Bargaining Agreement has specific guidelines for players withholding their services in the final year of their contract.
&ldquo;Withholding services: A player who withholds playing services called for by a Player Contract for more than thirty (30) days after the start of the last season covered by his Player Contract shall be deemed not to have &lsquo;complet[ed] his Player Contract by rendering the playing services called for thereunder,&rdquo; Marks <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1691064721825513474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conveyed</a> on Twitter. &ldquo;Accordingly, such a player shall not be a Veteran Free Agent and shall not be entitled to negotiate or sign a Player Contract with any other professional basketball team unless and until the Team for which the player last played expressly agreed otherwise.&rdquo;
In simpler terms, if Harden chooses to hold out for more than 30 days into the regular season, he will no longer be able to hit free agency next summer because he would not have completed the terms of his contract (unless the Sixers let him). Not to mention, the star guard would incur a significant amount of fines if he has a lengthy holdout. To my knowledge, this clause has never needed to be applied in NBA history to this point.
Harden may have no choice but to show up for training camp due to these restrictions. But would the Sixers even want him at camp if he is going to be a nuisance, much like he was in Houston back in 2020? Just two years ago, Philadelphia had to deal with the Ben Simmons situation, where he created a toxic atmosphere that led to the organization sending him home until his trade request was met later that season.&nbsp;
However, the reason Simmons&rsquo; trade request lasted all the way through the 2021-22 trade deadline is because Morey insisted on a star-level return for the young three-time All-Star. The trade just so happened to reunite him with his old colleague from his days in Houston: James Harden.
Morey and Harden&rsquo;s relationship dates back to when Houston acquired Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2012. The two were able to reach two Conference Finals during their run together and were presumed to have a good working relationship. Morey even acquiesced to Harden&rsquo;s request to trade for his former OKC teammate Russell Westbrook, a move that did not prove to be successful.
When Harden was brought to Philadelphia, he worked with Morey to sign a team-friendly contract during the summer of 2022 to leave room for the team to sign valuable pieces like PJ Tucker and Danuel House. As part of this deal, it has been suggested that the team gave Harden a &ldquo;wink-wink&rdquo; deal on a new long-term contract that would&rsquo;ve been extended this past offseason (which might explain Harden's comment).
Given the lack of any talks on a long-term deal, the relationship has since soured to the point of Harden directly calling Morey a liar. But that shouldn&rsquo;t stop Morey and the Sixers from trying to bring Harden back into the fold.&nbsp;
The only solution for Philly if they wish to compete for a championship in 2023-24 is bringing Harden back. The trade market has made clear that a Harden return package would not meet either of the Sixers' desired outcomes of keeping them in title contention or keeping cap flexibility for next summer. If they let Harden hold out, triggering the Withholding Services Clause or even allowing him reach free agency next summer, they would relinquish much of their cap flexibility that they hope to have next offseason.
We would be remiss if we didn&rsquo;t mention the other domino in the City of Brotherly Love: Joel Embiid. If the 76ers pull the trigger on a Harden deal, they may have to waste a prime year for Embiid, which will only stretch his patience to win a title in Philadelphia thinner. Remember, earlier this offseason, Embiid <a href="https://twitter.com/ajtorres1230/status/1680762456082202624?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>: "I just want to win a championship, whatever it takes. I don't know where that's going to be, whether that's in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that."
Lastly, anytime a player bashes a front-office member in a very public way, the league office should take notice. Expect them to monitor this situation closely to see if there were any possible under-the-table discussions, promises or agreements that violated league rules, similar to <a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/01/nba-joe-smith-illegal-contract-timberwolves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a situation that occurred in the early 2000s with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Joe Smith</a>. If the NBA discovers there was any kind of agreement on a future long-term deal between Harden and the Sixers prior to him signing his team-friendly deal in 2021, then Philadelphia could face serious punishment.
Overall, this situation has become an absolute mess. Both sides have some form of leverage over the other, and neither seems to be in the &ldquo;right.&rdquo; The NBA seemingly never sleeps, and it seems as though we will have to keep an eye on what Harden or the 76ers' next moves might be.&nbsp;

Blake Stern examines a specific clause in the NBA's CBA and how it may throw a wrench in James Harden's plan to holdout.

Examining what the CBA says about James Harden's plan to holdout

With the NBA&rsquo;s 2023 free-agency period pretty much wrapped up, why not take a look at how projecting next year's free-agent market? Obviously, a lot can change between now and then, but let&rsquo;s examine each team&rsquo;s cap situation and how much cap room they project to have next summer.&nbsp;
Next year&rsquo;s free-agency class could feature some big names, including Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Maxey (restricted), Paul George, LeBron James, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, OG Anunoby and DeMar DeRozan.&nbsp;
For the purposes of this exercise, I&rsquo;m going to separate teams into four spending-power tiers: Cap Space Teams, Non-Tax MLE Teams, Luxury Tax Teams and Second Apron Teams. Also, let's assume that the salary cap will be set at $149,623,000 and the luxury tax will come in at $181,823,000, the maximum 10% jump from this upcoming season set under the new CBA.
CAP SPACE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to have cap space next summer. They have spending access to their cap space, Bird Rights, the Room Exception (projected at $8,495,000) and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
San Antonio Spurs ($77,195,776 under the cap) If Victor Wembanyama is 70% as good as he&rsquo;s hyped up to be entering this season, one would figure that the Spurs will spend big or at least make a meaningful impact on the free-agent market next summer. They project to have an enormous amount of cap space, so it&rsquo;s very possible we&rsquo;ll see San Antonio take on some more bad contracts in trades to give them even more draft capital. Also, they&rsquo;ll want to retain Devin Vassell, who will be a restricted free agent next offseason once the Spurs extend his qualifying offer.
Philadelphia 76ers ($73,034,842 under the cap) The Sixers are perhaps the most interesting team in terms of their 2024 offseason outlook. By letting Tyrese Maxey hit restricted free agency next summer rather than extending him this year, Philadelphia gave themselves serious cap flexibility. Tobias Harris and James Harden both have expiring contracts, so the Sixers will have to use their cap space to replace their production. A Harden trade would obviously change their projected cap room, but it remains to be seen what they&rsquo;ll get back for the former MVP and how much it&rsquo;ll impact their books.
Toronto Raptors ($60,339,034 under the cap) After losing Fred VanVleet, the Raptors are walking a tightrope when it comes to whether they&rsquo;ll compete or rebuild. They face some tough decisions. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are both set to hit free agency next summer, so Toronto needs to decide whether they want to extend or trade their best players. Not to mention, Precious Achiuwa and Gary Trent Jr. also need new contracts.
Orlando Magic ($58,010,944 under the cap) Orlando has a lot of options for next summer, but the Magic may start with retaining many of their own players. Franz Wagner will likely receive a big contract extension, while Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony will be up for new contracts. Given that Orlando has a logjam in their backcourt &ndash; with Fultz, Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black &ndash; it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see what they do with Fultz and Anthony. The Magic will still have plenty of room to add quality talent for yearly average values over the NTMLE.
Detroit Pistons ($57,781,166 under the cap) Detroit may approach the 2024 offseason similar to how Houston approached this summer, as a young team hoping to use its massive cap space on good veterans in order to take bigger steps toward playoff contention. With that said, the first priority for the team will be agreeing to a contract extension with Cade Cunningham.
Utah Jazz ($50,315,319 under the cap) The Jazz find themselves in a unique position where they could go in two directions. After committing a three-year deal to Jordan Clarkson, they can use their cap space to give 2023 Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen a contract extension. If they want to have significant cap space for next summer instead, they can hold off on giving Markkanen an extension until free agency is settled.
Washington Wizards ($47,123,801 under the cap) Despite their cap space next year, don&rsquo;t expect Washington to be a big player in 2024 free agency. In the beginning stages of a rebuild, the Wizards will probably keep their sights on collecting more draft capital. They do have an interesting decision coming up with recent trade acquisition Tyus Jones, whom they&rsquo;ll likely want to keep long-term.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets ($41,300,515 under the cap)&nbsp; They may lose some 2024 cap space if they eventually re-sign PJ Washington this offseason, but watch out for Charlotte to be one of the many small-market teams with money to spend next summer. With LaMelo Ball in the first year of his max contract extension, Charlotte may cash in on a marquee player to keep their young star happy.
Brooklyn Nets ($33,048,185 under the cap) The Nets do have the potential to have significant cap space next summer if they choose not to re-sign most of their own free agents. However, the Nets will more than likely focus on exploring the trade market and retaining big man Nic Claxton before reaching next year&rsquo;s free agency. Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O&rsquo;Neale will also hit free agency next offseason.
Indiana Pacers ($20,488,005 under the cap) Indiana could get to an even higher number in cap space if they decline Bruce Brown&rsquo;s $23 million team option next season. If Brown has a good year, the Pacers would likely keep him on a long-term deal that would consume a good chunk of their space. Other impending free agents they might like to keep include Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith.
Oklahoma City Thunder ($10,264,814 under the cap) The Thunder will likely continue to utilize the strategy of taking on short-term, bad-money contracts in exchange for draft capital. As they inch closer to contention, they will be looking at some big-money extensions for many of their young pieces, including one for Josh Giddey next year.&nbsp;
NON-TAX MLE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap but under the luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $13,644,000), the Bi-Annual Exception (projected at $4,968,000) unless used in 2023-24, and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Chicago Bulls ($19,465,689 under the cap) The Bulls could potentially operate as a cap-space team if they elect to let DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams walk in free agency, but that seems unlikely. In addition, the Bulls could potentially create more space if Lonzo Ball&rsquo;s knee injury is considered career-ending by an NBA/NBPA-appointed physician. (Ball would still be paid, it just wouldn&rsquo;t count against the cap).&nbsp;
Sacramento Kings ($210,669 under the cap) The Kings used up most of their cap space by signing Domantas Sabonis to a big four-year extension that ties him with the team through 2028. As long as they are competitive, they will likely pursue quality pieces with their Non-Tax MLE to support Sabonis and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. They will also likely try to keep Malik Monk and look at extension options for Davion Mitchell.
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New Orleans Pelicans ($487,911 over the cap) The Pelicans are fairly set with their core of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram under contract through 2025. Ingram and McCollum are both extension-eligible this offseason, but the Pelicans may wait on dishing out extensions to maintain flexibility under the tax. New Orleans must also monitor Jonas Valanciunas&rsquo; free agency and a possible extension for Trey Murphy III.&nbsp;
Atlanta Hawks ($1,658,172 over the cap) Similar to the Kings, the Hawks wiped away their cap space when they signed Dejounte Murray and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter to four-year, $120 million and four-year, $90 million extensions, respectively. Already pushing past the salary cap, the Hawks may face a money crunch as they broach the luxury tax line. Retaining restricted free agents Onyeka Okongwu and Saddiq Bey next offseason may be tricky.
Los Angeles Clippers ($5,018,261 over the cap) The Clippers are in an interesting spot with George and Leonard both needing new deals, which they will likely get despite their inability to stay on the floor. Many veterans with big salaries will come off the books next year, like Marcus Morris, Nic Batum and Robert Covington. The question is whether the Clippers will continue to commit significant capital to a roster that hasn&rsquo;t met its lofty expectations.
Miami Heat ($7,751,630 over the cap) The Miami Heat are in a holding pattern with their roster as they engage in a Mexican standoff with the Blazers on a Damian Lillard trade, which could see them skyrocket into the deep tax. Outside of the Dame situation, Jimmy Butler will likely look for another big extension this offseason, which will pay him max money deep into his late 30s. They will also have to contend with potentially losing Caleb Martin, who has a player option for 2024-25.
Houston Rockets ($8,734,919 over the cap) The biggest spenders of this past offseason, the Rockets made big moves for Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Houston could get back into the cap-space tier again if they choose to part ways with Kevin Porter Jr. and his non-guaranteed $15.9 million salary. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will also be up for extensions.&nbsp;
Cleveland Cavaliers ($11,399,749 over the cap) The Cavs are pretty set going into the 2023-24 season and beyond with two max guys (Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell) and key guys on fairly big deals (Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Max Strus). They will likely give Evan Mobley a big extension next offseason, which could push them into the luxury tax in the near future. For next offseason, their only notable free agent is Isaac Okoro.
New York Knicks ($11,400,861 over the cap) This morning, the Knicks inked Josh Hart to a four-year contract extension that pushed them over the cap for 2024-25. Their main concerns for next summer are Immanuel Quickley and Isaiah Hartenstein, who are both up for new contracts. They will likely be able to avoid the tax by declining their team option on Evan Fournier or trading his expiring contract for another expiring deal.
Dallas Mavericks ($13,566,153 over the cap) The Mavericks are not likely to seek pathways to cap space next summer after doubling down on their trade for Kyrie Irving by re-signing him to a three-year, $120 million deal. They should look to retain Josh Green, who will be a restricted free agent. Luka Doncic&rsquo;s happiness looms over all of the Mavs&rsquo; moves, as ESPN&rsquo;s Tim McMahon <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavs-fear-luka-doncic-may-request-trade-unless-they-build-contender">reported in April</a> that the Mavericks are worried about Doncic potentially seeking a trade elsewhere as soon as next year.
Los Angeles Lakers ($15,380,636 over the cap) The Lakers had a pathway to almost two max slots in the unlikely scenario that they decided to pivot from the LeBron-AD era. However, that option is out the window with them inking Davis to a three-year supermax extension that will keep him with the team through 2028. LeBron James&rsquo; decision to stay with the team or leave will ultimately dictate how the Lakers approach spending next offseason.
Portland Trail Blazers ($20,567,876 over the cap) Portland is in the midst of turning the page to a new era as they look to accommodate franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard&rsquo;s trade request. If they do end up trading Lillard, expect their cap numbers to come down slightly, but not enough to get any meaningful space. Whether Lillard is traded for the Miami package or something else, Portland shouldn&rsquo;t be a major player in free agency for a while.&nbsp;
LUXURY TAX TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap and luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $5,500,000), and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Minnesota Timberwolves ($14,474,085 under the tax) The Timberwolves have paid the luxury tax only once since 2007. They should be a tax team once again, with Karl-Anthony Towns' supermax extension and Anthony Edwards' max extension kicking in. In addition, Minnesota will need to use significant capital to keep players like Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson, all of whom will be free agents in 2024.
Golden State Warriors ($9,696,462 under the tax) While the Warriors are currently under the tax, they are likely going to re-sign 2024 free agent Klay Thompson to a long-term deal at a lower number or at least use his Bird Rights to acquire another piece at a similar number. Golden State can cut some costs by releasing Chris Paul after the season, as his $30 million salary for 2024-25 is non-guaranteed.
Milwaukee Bucks ($6,142,529 under the tax) The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to big-money deals, committing to the players who won them the 2021 title. Another one of those players, Jrue Holiday, is set to reach free agency and will likely demand max money. In addition, Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes eligible for a supermax extension of up to three years in October and can sign a four-year supermax extension next offseason.
Denver Nuggets ($6,732,627 over the tax) The defending champs have their core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon locked in through the 2025 offseason. They&rsquo;ve already lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green this summer and will be forced to work around the edges with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope potentially heading for free agency next summer.
Boston Celtics ($7,306,800 over the tax) The trade for Kristaps Porzingis pushed the Celtics into the luxury tax for the first time since 2018, and that was before they signed Jaylen Brown to a five-year supermax extension. With Jayson Tatum&rsquo;s own supermax extension on the horizon next year, the Celtics figure to be a tax team, and potentially a second apron team, for the foreseeable future.
SECOND APRON TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap, luxury tax and second luxury tax apron ($17.5 million over the tax). They have spending access to just Bird Rights and the Veteran Minimum Exception. The second apron was introduced in the new CBA and prevents teams from using the Taxpayer MLE, trading first-round picks seven years away, signing buyout free agents and taking back more salary than they send out in trades among other restrictions.
Memphis Grizzlies ($13,829,477 over the tax) For the first time under owner Robert Pera, the Grizzlies will be paying the luxury tax. While Memphis probably won&rsquo;t reach the second apron, they are not likely to have enough spare capital to use their Tax MLE and be able to fill out their roster without going over it. Their core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are locked up to big money, long-term deals that will keep Memphis among the league's biggest spenders for likely the next decade-plus.
Phoenix Suns ($27,039,607 over the tax) Phoenix is by far the most limited team when it comes to spending, and they will be for the next few seasons after trading for Bradley Beal&rsquo;s behemoth contract. With four max contracts, including two supermax contracts, the Suns have blown through the second apron. Like this past offseason, the supporting cast around their core four will be mostly minimum-salary contracts.

How much cap room is your favorite NBA team projected to have next summer? Blake Stern breaks down where all 30 teams stand.

Which NBA teams project to have the most cap space in 2024?

On Friday, the NBA announced that Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley was the 2022-23 Sportsmanship award winner.
This award honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. This is Conley's fourth time winning this award, which is the most in NBA history.&nbsp;
Conley beat out fellow finalists Houston Rockets center Boban Marjanovic, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes and New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson to win the award.
Conley received 96 first-place votes and 2,739 total voting points, while runner-up Marjanovic received 91 first-place votes but only 2,665 total voting points.&nbsp;
Each NBA team nominated one of its players for the Sportsmanship award. From the list of 30 team nominees, a panel of league executives selected one finalist from each of the NBA&rsquo;s six divisions.
Current NBA players selected the winner from the list of six finalists, with nearly 400 players submitting their votes through confidential balloting conducted by the league office.

On Friday, the NBA announced that Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley was the 2022-23 Sportsmanship Award winner.

Mike Conley wins NBA's Sportsmanship award for record fourth time

For all the things&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/OvertimeElite/status/1633301223494303745?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Thompson Twins</a>&nbsp;share &mdash; middle name, appetite for burgers, dynamic basketball skill sets &mdash; matching suits on draft night won&rsquo;t be one of them.
Amen and Ausar Thompson are dressing for success in their own unique style as they prepare to go in their own separate directions for really the first time. The 6-foot-7 guards out of Overtime Elite are projected&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-mock-draft-wembanyama-c9dfd3d19592e1de44f5957ea2aa8b48">in the AP mock draft</a>&nbsp;to be selected in the top 10 Thursday night in New York.
That means, barring a daring move by a team, they will wind up in different cities.
It&rsquo;s a situation that&rsquo;s still hard to fully fathom for the 20-year-olds from California. It&rsquo;s also a situation that reveals another shared trait: Their sense of humor.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll just constantly text each other,&rdquo;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/OvertimeElite/status/1658629641861562369?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained Amen, who&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;the older twin by a minute.
&ldquo;But you don&rsquo;t check your phone,&rdquo; Ausar quickly countered.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s lying,&rdquo; Amen responded.
Kidding aside, their aim is to live up to their shared middle name of &ldquo;XLNC&rdquo; (pronounced excellence), which was bestowed on them to convey a sense of power.
&ldquo;Just so with every time you&rsquo;re saying their name, there&rsquo;s that power behind it,&rdquo; their dad, Troy, said. &ldquo;Excellence, greatness &mdash; we always use all these power words and so do they, in their own expressions, so they&rsquo;re always thinking on that high note.&rdquo;
The Thompsons moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Florida when the twins were in eighth grade to enhance their basketball careers. The playmakers shined at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, leading the team to a state title. They received offers from several traditional Power Five basketball programs.
Instead, they pivoted.
The twins took the road less traveled to the NBA draft by signing with&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://overtimeelite.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Overtime Elite</a>, a professional basketball league based in Atlanta that&rsquo;s opening another door to the pros for talented young players.
It was a chance to focus on basketball full-time and build up their strength. They did, too, adding 25 pounds of muscle over their two-year tenure with the league. An opportunity at a paycheck, too &mdash; Overtime Elite, which launched in 2021, compensates players with annual salaries of at least $100,000.
Their first year, the twins played on different Overtime Elite teams.
This past season, they combined &mdash; and dominated.
Amen (rhymes with &ldquo;a pen&rdquo;) averaged 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://overtimeelite.com/players/e763b02b-3045-4a91-a078-7140899327d0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">to lead the City Reapers</a>&nbsp;to the championship.
Not to be outdone, Ausar (rhymes with &ldquo;a car&rdquo;), had a postseason&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://overtimeelite.com/players/cbb0c3ec-f9f2-43e6-bb6e-6e4ef5702d92" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in which</a>&nbsp;he averaged 21 points, 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds.
When it came&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://overtimeelite.com/articles/b66abb33-0079-4dc0-9858-7f6933f9a54a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">time to vote for the</a>&nbsp;league&rsquo;s regular season MVP award, it was no surprise who voted for whom.
Ausar for Amen.
Amen for Ausar.
Ausar earned MVP (along with the postseason version, too).
&ldquo;It would have been funny&rdquo; if Ausar won by one vote, Amen joked. &ldquo;I would&rsquo;ve taken mine back.&rdquo;
They enjoy teasing one another &mdash; and pushing each other. They&rsquo;re always in the gym, hoisting up shots or working on their footwork. They&rsquo;re competitive, too, whether it be in friendly games on the court or in the video game NBA 2K, where they&rsquo;re in agreement &mdash; Ausar reigns supreme on the video-game controller in hoops.
Their go-to meal comes from In-N-Out Burger. Ausar prefers a double cheeseburger with lettuce and special sauce, maybe grilled onions. Amen likes the same, just hold the cheese.
Amen&rsquo;s scouting report reads like this: Explosive athleticism, with exceptional court vision. Can break down defenders with his ball-handling skills and elite first step.
Ausar&rsquo;s report: Essentially the same as his brother.
Ausar projects as more of a combo guard and Amen as a ball handler in the NBA. Amen is predicted to go fourth overall to Houston and Ausar sixth to Orlando.
Their dad saw a path to the twins being elite when they were around 8 and going against players three, sometimes four, years older.
&ldquo;You knew that their forward trajectory was going to be fast, because they were already improving at such a high rate,&rdquo; Troy said. &ldquo;From here on, I just want to enjoy watching them continue to grow into this dream and just achieve the greatness they always talked about.&rdquo;
They describe their bond as &ldquo;twin telepathy,&rdquo; which Ausar said comes in handy not only on the basketball floor but in life.
Don&rsquo;t ask for specifics, though, because that&rsquo;s top secret.
&ldquo;It would be bad for the world if everybody knew how to do it. I just know where he&rsquo;s going to be at all times,&rdquo; Ausar said.
Leading into the draft, they&rsquo;ve been traveling to work out for interested teams. In Portland, they met Damian Lillard. A year ago, they were introduced to Golden State Warriors great Stephen Curry at his camp.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s super cool meeting them,&rdquo; Ausar said.
Amen and Ausar said they&rsquo;ve competed against many of the big names in the draft class with the exception of&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-2023-wembanyama-396be2a8eeb0be8e3323bb509405695c">Victor Wembanyama, the French star who is expected to go No. 1</a>&nbsp;to the San Antonio Spurs.
The twins are bracing for the likely separation and distance between them. They&rsquo;re even planning for the big moment when both meet on the same NBA court at a soon-to-be-determined spot.
&ldquo;That,&rdquo; Amen said, &ldquo;is going to make for one cool picture.&rdquo;

The 6-foot-7 guards out of Overtime Elite are projected to be selected in the top 10 in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

Twins Amen and Ausar Thompson set to be taken in top-10 of NBA Draft

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in overtime in Game 4 to avoid elimination Sunday night.
Nikola Jokic tied a playoff career high with 43 points and added 11 rebounds and six assists for the Nuggets, who were looking for the four-game sweep.
Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, which held on after Denver scored the final 12 points of regulation to force overtime. Mike Conley had 19 points for the Timberwolves.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Denver.
Jamal Murray finished with 19 points and Aaron Gordon 14 for Denver, which looked prime to have a chance to rest before the second round where it would face the winner of the Suns-Clippers series, which Phoenix leads 3-1.
Edwards, who put together several electrifying moments in his first All-Star season, resurrected Minnesota in the third as the Timberwolves went on a 23-9 run. Edwards scored 16 of his points in the quarter and the Timberwolves eventually led by 12 midway through the fourth.
Minnesota lost in the first round to Memphis last year, surrendering three double-digit, fourth-quarter leads.
This time, Jokic took another Wolves&rsquo; lead away.
The 21-year-old Edwards took a step forward this year while Towns missed 52 games with a calf strain. He took over the scoring load for Minnesota and was supported by his veteran teammates, who implored the athletic youngster to take control in games.
The Nuggets were pressed to a fifth game, but they still look like a team primed for a long playoff run. They also might have found an answer to their biggest issue:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-2023-ca57f7210df121a90afda276dd7924a7">surviving when the two-time MVP Jokic isn&rsquo;t on the floor.</a>
With Gordon playing the backup center minutes, the Nuggets didn&rsquo;t just survive, they outscored Minnesota without Jokic by six points.
WILD FINISH
Edwards drained a step-back jumper with 2:52 left in regulation that gave the Wolves a 96-84 lead, their largest of the game, and he smiled at the crowd as the Nuggets called timeout. Denver wasn&rsquo;t done, though. Jokic hit the first of three straight 3-pointers, followed by a pair from Porter.
Conley tried to pass in the lane to Gobert, but the big man couldn&rsquo;t grab it in traffic and the Nuggets turned the turnover into a jumper by Jokic that cut the lead to one point with 49 seconds left. Gobert was swarmed again on Minnesota&rsquo;s next possession and had his shot blocked by Porter.
Jokic got fouled by Towns on the other end and made one of two free throws to tie the game with 12 seconds to go. Edwards had the ball at the end for the potential game-winner, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope knocked it out of his hands before he could shoot.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: The league&rsquo;s best shooting team in the regular season, Denver shot just 44.2% from the field and was 12 of 35 from 3, its worst numbers of the series.
Timberwolves: Kyle Anderson was declared out with a left eye/facial contusion after taking an errant hand to the face from Edwards in the fourth. ... Minnesota held a 22-12 advantage in bench scoring.

hTe Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in overtime in Game 4 to avoid elimination Sunday night.

Timberwolves survive in overtime, beat Nuggets 114-108

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead Minnesota into the playoffs, as the Timberwolves muscled and hustled their way past the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-95 to finish the play-in tournament on Friday night.
Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 10 rebounds in his return from exile&nbsp;for swinging at teammate Kyle Anderson, and the Wolves filled out the NBA playoff bracket by seizing the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a near-perfect performance at the end of another harder-than-it-had-to-be season.
Anthony Edwards had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolves, who had a 58-30 advantage in points in the paint. They will face No. 1 seed Denver in a best-of-seven series starting on Sunday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 22 points, going 12 for 12 from the free throw line but just 5 for 19 from the field. Jalen Williams and Lu Dort each scored 17 points.
With their best defender Jaden McDaniels out with a broken hand &mdash; thanks to a wall he punched out of frustration in the final regular-season game shortly before Gobert took a swing at Anderson in an argument during a timeout &mdash; the Timberwolves put Nickiel Alexander-Walker in the starting lineup to guard the dynamic Gilgeous-Alexander. They&rsquo;re cousins, actually.
Gilgeous-Alexander was slow to get going in the Thunder&rsquo;s play-in tournament opener, too, before scoring 25 of his 32 points after halftime in the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/pelicans-thunder-playin-acf9a3517de39968463f1c06436dcca9">113-108 win</a>&nbsp;over New Orleans. This time, the NBA&rsquo;s fourth-leading scorer picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and then had to leave for treatment a few minutes later after Gobert accidentally elbowed him in the eye as he rebounded and dunked his own miss.
Towns had 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting in Minnesota&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-timberwolves-lebron-playin-tournament-024ffc281bfdb29922ac13b95c133e45">108-102 overtime loss</a>&nbsp;in Los Angeles in the first play-in game on Tuesday, but he camped out on the perimeter too much down the stretch as the Wolves offense grinded to a woeful finish.
This time, the Wolves took a much better blend of outside and inside shots with a constantly moving ball. They leaned hard on their advantage around the basket, with the big men Towns and Gobert going to work against the smaller Thunder.
Gobert moved around rather stiffly, listed as questionable with a back injury that might have kept him out against the Lakers anyway to make his team-imposed suspension moot. He wore a wrap around his midsection when he was on the bench, but he found his groove in the second half.
The Thunder came a long way from the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-city-thunder-nba-sports-draft-8c087d0afbe773f3d61b24753f35b713">loss of No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren</a>, the 7-foot-1 Minneapolis native who broke his foot in an offseason pro-am game, but they let the Timberwolves pile up the highlights down the stretch.
RELEARNING PROCESS
The Wolves won three of four matchups with the Thunder, playing twice in the first five days of the season and twice more by Dec. 16. Towns was out with an injury then. The three-team trade that jettisoned D&rsquo;Angelo Russell from the Minnesota backcourt and brought in Conley and Alexander-Walker was still two months from conception.
So was it even worth reviewing the film from those games?
&ldquo;We do because we&rsquo;re paranoid, and what else are you going to do? Like, watch Netflix?&rdquo; Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s different. They&rsquo;re missing guys. We&rsquo;re different. Both teams have evolved since then.&rdquo;
WITH HONORS
Daigneault was announced by the NBA as one of&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-mvp-jokic-embiid-antetokounmpo-award-finalists-befc47525340c68c47b50cf5ddcfdee5">three finalists</a>&nbsp;for the Coach of the Year award. Gilgeous-Alexander (Most Improved Player) and Jalen Williams (Rookie of the Year) also landed on their respective lists. Scott Brooks (2010) is the only previous Coach of the Year winner the franchise has had since it moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Josh Giddey went 2 for 13 from the floor.
Timberwolves: Edwards, who went 3 for 17 from the field against the Lakers, made 8 of 19 shots. ... Walker-Alexander had 12 points.

The Timberwolves muscled and hustled their way past the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-95 to finish the play-in tournament on Friday night.

Wolves go big to beat Thunder in play-in game, get 8th seed

Spencer Davies speaks with Taqwa Pinero about his life journey and how he's preparing both the future and current hoop generations.

Taqwa Pinero's knowledge is its own currency, and he's paying it forward

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoffs with a grueling 108-102 overtime victory over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA&rsquo;s play-in tournament Tuesday night.
Dennis Schr&ouml;der scored 21 points and iced the win with two free throws with 8.4 seconds left for the Lakers, who will face second-seeded Memphis in the first round starting Sunday.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points and Mike Conley hit three free throws with 0.1 seconds left in regulation to tie it for the Wolves, who will host New Orleans or Oklahoma City on Friday for the eighth spot and a first-round date with top-seeded Denver beginning Sunday. The Pelicans host the Thunder on Wednesday night.
Anthony Davis had 24 points, 15 rebounds and one tremendously ill-advised foul on Conley, who scored 23 points. Los Angeles survived a back-and-forth meeting with Minnesota, which gave an inspired effort while playing without starters Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.
Gobert is suspended for punching teammate Kyle Anderson during Minnesota&rsquo;s regular-season finale against New Orleans, while McDaniels is out indefinitely with a broken hand after punching a wall in frustration Sunday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LeBron James and Anthony Davis lead the Lakers to a HUGE Play-In win in OT 😤 LeBron: 30 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST AD: 24 PTS, 15 REB, 4 AST, 3 BLK Shoutout Dennis Schroder for his 21 points and clutch buckets off the bench 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/D2m0HZkMS7">pic.twitter.com/D2m0HZkMS7</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1646015944123203585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Los Angeles finally won it with defense, holding the Wolves to seven points in the final 11 minutes from midway through the fourth quarter while the Lakers rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half.
Schr&ouml;der drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to play in regulation, but the Wolves forced overtime when Conley hit three free throws with 0.1 seconds left after Davis stepped on his foot after he had already released a 3-point attempt.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had a nightmare game for Los Angeles against the team that traded him in February, scoring two points on 1-of-9 shooting with eight assists. He was benched down the stretch by Schr&ouml;der, who came through tremendously.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: McDaniels attended the game.
Lakers: Schr&ouml;der returned from a two-game injury absence. ... Tristan Thompson and Shaq Harrison were in uniform for the first time after signing last Sunday. Neither veteran played.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Host Pelicans or Thunder on Friday.
Lakers: At Grizzlies on Sunday.

LeBron James had 30 points, and the Lakers earned the No. 7 seed with a grueling 108-102 overtime victory over the Timberwolves.

Lakers outlast Wolves 108-102 in OT, advance to face Memphis

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; The Minnesota Timberwolves are fired up for the postseason.
Whether they have enough depth and maturity to stay a while is to be determined.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was sent home after throwing a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson during an argument on the bench in the second quarter Sunday against New Orleans, shortly after ace defender Jaden McDaniels put his availability in doubt by hitting a wall out of frustration.
&ldquo;This is probably one of the grittier wins I think anyone will ever be a part of. The things we went through in today&rsquo;s game are not normal. Hit after hit, we just found a way to lean on each other,&rdquo; point guard Mike Conley said. &ldquo;The most important thing is we could have easily splintered. Whether it was Kyle and Rudy or hearing news about Jaden, it was one hit after another, but it just brought more out of us. We dug down deep.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gobert had to be separated after a heated altercation during a timeout. <a href="https://t.co/HVuPNdjrxs">pic.twitter.com/HVuPNdjrxs</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1645164936199303172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Gobert sent a group-text apology to the team, Conley said. Coach Chris Finch declined to speculate about potential punishment for Gobert, who was playing with back spasms after being listed as questionable.
Gobert also apologized in a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/rudygobert27/status/1645220661177008133?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post on Twitter</a>.
&ldquo;Emotions got the best of me today,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Emotions got the best of me today. I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate.
&mdash; Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) <a href="https://twitter.com/rudygobert27/status/1645220661177008133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Anderson, a fiery but respected leader who has given the Wolves a big boost with his versatility and experience in his first season with the team, engaged in a heated discussion with Gobert about one of the many sequences that had gone wrong to that point while the team was in a huddle during a timeout late in the second quarter.
Gobert then ended the argument by&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1645164936199303172" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">raising his arm</a>&nbsp;to strike Anderson in the upper chest with his hand, before the two were separated and Gobert was taken back to the locker room. Taurean Price also reacted to Gobert&rsquo;s swing by jumping out of his seat to give Gobert a shove.
&ldquo;I think tempers just flared,&rdquo; Anderson said afterward. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s all.&rdquo;
Anderson said he didn&rsquo;t think the two would have trouble getting along moving forward.
&ldquo;We want to win games. It is what it is. It ain&rsquo;t the first time someone has swung on me,&rdquo; he said.
President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly issued a statement confirming the Timberwolves decided to send Gobert home after the second-quarter flap.
&ldquo;His behavior on the bench was unacceptable, and we will handle the situation internally,&rdquo; said Connelly, whose first big move on the job last summer was to acquire Gobert from Utah in a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-utah-jazz-nba-sports-26b3c07948dc5cd6e28b8f7da887517f">blockbuster trade</a>.
The Wolves&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/timberwolves-pelicans-gobert-anderson-playin-fd50dbdafeea6eaaf20fd463e268f7ae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beat the Pelicans 113-108</a>&nbsp;to finish in eighth place in the Western Conference and draw a play-in tournament matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers by moving ahead of New Orleans in the standings. They were headed to a loss and the lower seed with a lifeless first half.
After Anthony Edwards settled for a step-back 3-pointer that fell short, the Pelicans raced the other way for a dunk by Brandon Ingram for a 48-36 lead that triggered a timeout by Wolves coach Chris Finch with 4:23 remaining before halftime. Then came the fight.
The Wolves announced at halftime that Gobert and McDaniels would not play the rest of the way. McDaniels,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1645174595169710086" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it turned out</a>, had hit a wall in the tunnel that leads to the locker room out of frustration in the first quarter and did not return. ESPN and The Athletic reported that McDaniels broke his hand.
&ldquo;Certainly immaturity has been one of our issues all season,&rdquo; Finch said.
The Wolves have long been adept at making situations harder on themselves. The easier games have actually been the hardest part for the Wolves this season, with a total of 16 losses to the bottom 10 teams in the league. Win just two more of those, and they would&rsquo;ve avoided the play-in tournament. Four more wins, and they would have the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
&ldquo;But those days are gone. We have to focus now on what we&rsquo;ve got and moving forward,&rdquo; Finch said.

Rudy Gobert was sent home after throwing a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson during an argument on the bench on Sunday.

Timberwolves send Rudy Gobert home after fight with Kyle Anderson

Golden State&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-portland-trail-blazers-9c221597eeb5458554f96b79ec1f26e4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is in the playoffs</a>. LeBron James&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/jazz-lakers-lebron-james-48bf5ca442ccc26100cc0e8739b95ce4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is heading to the play-in tournament</a>. And the Minnesota Timberwolves lost Rudy Gobert to&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/timberwolves-pelicans-gobert-anderson-playin-fd50dbdafeea6eaaf20fd463e268f7ae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fight with a teammate</a>, then won a battle to improve their playoff hopes.
The final day of the NBA season was predictably wild &mdash; with tons of unpredictable elements as well.
It took until the 1,230th and last game of the year went final, but the Western Conference playoff and play-in bracket are finally set, highlighted by the Los Angeles Clippers and defending champion Golden State Warriors getting a few days off knowing that they&rsquo;re officially in the postseason.
The Clippers beat Phoenix to clinch the No. 5 seed &mdash; and a first-round matchup with Phoenix. Golden State had its highest-scoring game in almost 33 years on its way to routing Portland 157-101 and clinching the No. 6 seed, giving the Warriors an automatic berth in the playoffs and a first-round matchup with Sacramento.
Golden State led by as many as 59 in that game, the largest lead by any team all season.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re playing Sacramento, obviously. They&rsquo;re a great team, they&rsquo;ve had an amazing season and it&rsquo;s going to take everything to beat them four times &mdash; especially starting on the road,&rdquo; Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. &ldquo;But we love the opportunity in front of us.&rdquo;
James and the No. 7 &mdash; for now &mdash; Los Angeles Lakers will get two chances to get into the playoffs, starting with Tuesday&rsquo;s play-in game against No. 8 Minnesota. If the Lakers lose that game, they&rsquo;ll get another chance Friday against the winner of Wednesday&rsquo;s game between No. 9 New Orleans and No. 10 Oklahoma City.
&ldquo;For us, it&rsquo;s just good that we don&rsquo;t have to travel,&rdquo; James said after the Lakers ended their regular season with a home win over Utah. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve traveled a lot lately. It&rsquo;s good that we get to stay here, but we shouldn&rsquo;t get comfortable. We have to stay on edge.&rdquo;
The Lakers-Timberwolves winner gets No. 2 Memphis in Round 1; the winner of Friday&rsquo;s West play-in game will start the playoffs next Sunday at No. 1 Denver.
No team in the West has had a better record since the All-Star break than the Lakers, who went 16-7 down the stretch &mdash; even with James sidelined for about half of that run by injury.
Minnesota locked up the No. 8 seed (and two chances at the playoffs) by holding off New Orleans 113-108.
It was the last game to finish in the league this season, though for Gobert, it ended early. He threw a punch at Kyle Anderson &mdash; his teammate &mdash; during a first-half time-out, didn&rsquo;t return to the game, and Minnesota also lost Jaden McDaniels to a right hand injury after he appeared to punch a wall.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gobert had to be separated after a heated altercation during a timeout. <a href="https://t.co/HVuPNdjrxs">pic.twitter.com/HVuPNdjrxs</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1645164936199303172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;We made the decision to send Rudy Gobert home after the incident in the second quarter,&rdquo; Timberwolves President Tim Connelly said in a postgame statement. &ldquo;His behavior on the bench was unacceptable and we will continue handling the situation internally.&rdquo;
There appeared to be progress on that front quickly, with Wolves veteran Mike Conley suggesting that the team is ready to move forward.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to need all of us,&rdquo; Conley said.
If the Timberwolves lost that game, they would have been the No. 9 seed out West. There were 16 possible ways the 5-6-7-8-9 seeds on the West bracket could have gone on Sunday &mdash; and the Pelicans had a shot to finish as high as No. 5. Instead, they settled for No. 9.
The Eastern Conference postseason matchups were all set before Sunday. No. 7 Miami plays No. 8 Atlanta on Tuesday, and No. 9 Toronto plays No. 10 Chicago on Wednesday. The Heat-Hawks winner advances to play No. 2 Boston in Round 1; the Raptors-Bulls winner will play the Heat-Hawks loser on Friday for the chance to play No. 1 Milwaukee in the opening round.
No. 3 Philadelphia will play No. 6 Brooklyn, and No. 4 Cleveland will meet No. 5 New York.
FIRST ROUND OPENERS
The Brooklyn-Philadelphia series starts Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern. The rest of Saturday&rsquo;s schedule has the Heat-Hawks winner visiting Boston, then New York at Cleveland and finally Golden State visiting Sacramento.
The Clippers-Suns series starts next Sunday, as will the matchups featuring Denver, Milwaukee and Memphis.

The final day of the NBA season was predictably wild — with tons of unpredictable elements as well.