Pioneers

The Minnesota Timberwolves made a statement by taking Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday afternoon. The statement was loud and it was clear &mdash; their seed was not indicative of their talent.
Tuesday night's Game 2 was a must-win for the Grizzlies, as higher seeds that have gone down 0-2 have only come back twice from such a hole.
The NBA Playoffs are all about the adjustments from game to game and which team can win the chess match. Whether by accident, chance or plan, the Grizzlies put the Timberwolves in check but is the adjustment enough for a checkmate? I worked with our Mat Issa of BasketballNews.com to look at the moves by Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins in Game 2.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
In Game 1, Steven Adams was simply not useful, mate. After a turnaround year in Memphis, the New Zealand big man found himself hurting his team more than helping. It was a similar story for the Grizzlies, as last year Jonas Valanciunas had a career year during the regular season &mdash; only to become a defensive liability vs. the Utah Jazz in the 2021 first round.
It should have been predicted. This season, Adams had 2 of his 6 lowest minute totals in a game, 2 of his 5 worst plus-minus games and 2 of his 3 lowest rebounding totals in a game &mdash; all against Minnesota. In fact, in 25 career matchups against the Wolves, Adams has been a net positive player only 11 times, with his last coming in January 2020.&nbsp;
In this postseason's series opener, Adams played 24 minutes, taking 0 shots and grabbing only 3 rebounds while picking up 4 fouls. Much of Memphis' success in the regular season revolved around Adams' ability to grab offensive rebounds &mdash; a key reason as to why the Grizzlies led the league in second-chance points. But in Game 1, Memphis lost both the rebound and the second-chance battles.&nbsp;
Defensively, Adams had no place on the floor. The Timberwolves adjusted to how Memphis was playing Karl-Anthony Towns in the pick-and-roll, and it was all she wrote. KAT would pop and then simply beat Adams off the dribble time after time. Steven became borderline unplayable.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
With Steven Adams as primary defender: Twolves 12/16 on FGs (75%), 2/3 from 3 (66%) With other Grizz starters as primary defender: Twolves 23/58 on FGs (40%), 10/26 on 3s (38.4%) With Grizz reserves as primary defender: Twolves 19/33 FGs (58%) 5/14 on 3s (37.5%)
&mdash; Shawn Coleman (@StatsSAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/StatsSAC/status/1515692055896510468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dKCx5v8Jrpc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
On this possession, Anthony Edwards puts Adams in a PNR with Towns, a common theme in the game. While Ja Morant was in good help position to stop the drive, Adams plays drop coverage, giving Ant all the space he needed to knock down the shot.&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/muowP-lOhls" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Adams finds himself defending yet another PNR with Edwards and Towns, where now the Timberwolves have adjusted, sending KAT on a pop. Again, Morant is in help position to stop the drive while Adams is in drop coverage, but this time Edwards kicks it to KAT. Rather than settling for the three, Towns beats Adams off the dribble, as he is too slow to slide in front.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MtT84mHYico" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Although this ends up being a blocked shot, this is a microcosm of the issue for Memphis. Out on the perimeter, Adams gets beat off the dribble by Towns, again, and puts pressure on Jaren Jackson Jr. &mdash; who is in foul trouble&mdash; to clean up the mess. Memphis needs JJJ on the floor way more than it needs Adams, so situations like this need to be avoided if possible.&nbsp;
Just 2 minutes and 50 seconds into Game 2, Adams came out of the game for the Grizzlies with a couple of fouls; the big man finished the contest with 2:50 of playing time. Who knows if Jenkins planned to make this adjustment or not, but the insertion of Xavier Tillman Sr. and extended minutes of Brandon Clarke have likely altered the course of this series.
The flashes were there with Clarke in Game 1. His switchability on defense has always been a key to his game, so despite being outsized by Towns, Clarke is able to switch on the ball-screens rather than play drop coverage. It seemed obvious that an increase in minutes for Brandon was due in Game 2.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
What are the chances that Tillman gets a look in the MEM/MIN series?
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1516100131392786432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

In a world where it is commonplace to shrink rotations in the playoffs, Jenkins went to his 11th man in Tillman. As a reminder, X is no stranger to high stakes moments; let's remember he did this in overtime agaisnt the Warriors, on the road, in last year's Play-In Tournament:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2pcUJwlUryQ" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
In almost 21 minutes of play &mdash; roughly the total of Adams' playing time in Game 1 &mdash; Tillman scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in Game 2. He also went an impressively efficient 6 of 7 from the field, which was a bonus because Tillman had one job: to defend.&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VH6F0rUxsZw" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Compared to Jackson and Clarke, Tillman's impact against KAT is his strength. While not as agile as JJJ and Clarke, Tillman has the strength to take the body blows from Towns. On this possession, Tillman is both quick enough to stay with Towns and strong enough to withstand the shoulder check and recover to contest the shot.
Towns made 11 shots in Game 1; he only attempted 7 field goals in Game 2. Some of that was his own foul trouble, but with the subtraction of Adams, the easy opportunities were not there for Minnesota's All-Star center.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
In addition to Tillman, Clake's versatility was on full display in Game 2 with a number of perimeter opportunities on defense.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mrgj5oNBIxA" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
In Game 1, Edwards took advantage of the PNR, taking 12 shots inside the arc on his way to a 36-point night.
In Game 2, when someone like Clarke or Kyle Anderson switched onto Edwards, the ability to get downhill was neutralized. Of his 16 total shots, Edwards took 10 of them from beyond the arc. If the presence of Clarke causes Edwards to settle for jumpers, that is a win for Memphis.
The adjustment for Minnesota is more so an adjustment for Edwards in Game 3. Mat Issa believes that Edwards has the ability to dribble by almost any player Memphis may throw at him, so he needs to play with an agression rather than settling for long jumpers.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xwGpbhzO4RI" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
On this particular play, Edwards drives right by De'Anthony Melton &mdash; arguably the Grizzlies' best perimeter defender &mdash; with ease. Mat's next point is that, while Ant has to drive, his playmaking has to take the next step. Edwards has not shown the ability to consistently make the right play, so if Memphis decides to pack the paint on him (like Minnesota has done vs. Morant), you might see more of this clip.
While Edwards gets by Melton, Morant has vacated Patrick Beverley and Anderson leaves Taurean Prince &mdash; both capable corner shooters. As the defense collapses on him, Edwards gets caught in the air and makes a bad pass.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C3Rc2Ob23lk" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
This is a quick clip, but Edwards drives baseline and is met by a helping Clarke and Morant. Rushed by the triple team, Edwards throws the ball into the backcourt.
If Memphis continues to roll with switching guys like Clarke, Anderson and Tillman onto Edwards off the PNR, Ant is going to have to make the adjustment and slow the game down, finding his open teammates against the overhelping Memphis defense.
Game 3 is Thursday night in Minnesota. Will Memphis play Adams? Will the Timberwolves adjust?
Both teams will have to make their adjustments, as the chess match inches its way closer to its conclusion.

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

With Steven Adams struggling, Justin Lewis breaks down the impact of Xavier Tillman Sr. and Brandon Clarke on the Grizzlies.

Could Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman be the Grizzlies' escape plan?

Ja Morant scored 23 points and handed out 10 assists as the Memphis Grizzlies looked much more like the team that posted the NBA&rsquo;s second-best record, routing the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-96 on Tuesday night to even up their first-round Western Conference series at 1 apiece.
Morant went to the bench with 4:40 left to a huge ovation. He finished a rebound shy of a triple-double. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. each added 16 with Jackson hitting 4 of 7 from 3-point range as the Grizzlies finished with seven in double figures.
Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Ziaire Williams each had 13. Tyus Jones added 10.
Game 3 is Thursday night in Minneapolis.
Anthony Edwards, who scored 36 points in his playoff debut in Game 1, led Minnesota with 20. All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Naz Reid and Taurean Prince had 12 each off the bench, and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell added 11.
The Timberwolves dominated the series opener after scoring a franchise-record 41 points in the first quarter.&nbsp;
This time, officials stayed very busy calling 20 fouls in a very long first quarter. That kept the NBA&rsquo;s top scoring teams in the regular season from getting into any rhythm as they combined to shoot 33 free throws.
At one point, Memphis had Steven Adams, Jackson, Clarke and Dillon Brooks on the bench with two fouls. That forced coach Taylor Jenkins to turn to Tillman who didn&rsquo;t play in Game 1, and he turned in the best playoff game of his young career.
The Grizzlies grabbed their biggest lead of this short series at 30-23 on a floater by Jones with 2:11 left, and they led 33-32 after the first quarter when Morant&rsquo;s long buzzer-beater attempt hit off the rim and off.
Memphis started running in the second and opened the quarter with an 11-2 run and finished on an 11-5 run for a 60-49 lead at halftime with Morant not scoring a point. Patrick Beverley summed up Minnesota&rsquo;s struggles when his layup before the buzzer rolled off the rim.
The Grizzlies pushed that lead to as much as 27 with a 25-9 run in the third, and Morant scored 12 in the quarter hitting 5 of 7 shots, including both 3-pointers. His layup gave Memphis a 87-60 lead with 4:15 to go in the third, and the Grizzlies led 96-77 going into the fourth.
Minnesota was the NBA&rsquo;s best-shooting team outside the arc and outscored Memphis 48-21 in Game 1 as the Grizzlies shooting 26% outside the arc with only three knocking down a 3-pointer. This time, Memphis shot 11-of-34 with six Grizzlies knocking down at least one.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: The NBA&rsquo;s top scoring team shot 39.5%. They had 30 field goals, matching the season low against Toronto on Feb. 16. ... After knocking down 16 3s in Game 1, they were 11 of 38 (28.9%). ... Russell now is 5 of 22 in this series.
Grizzlies: Entering the game had lost four of their last five games including the series opener. &hellip;Jackson, who matched his career high with seven blocks in the opener, had one Tuesday night. But he knocked down four 3s ... D&rsquo;Anthony Melton came in 8 of 26 from 3-point range. He was 2 of 6. ... Adams played three minutes after picking up two early fouls. ... They had 29 assists and now are 29-1 when they have at least 28 assists.
TESTY EARLY
It didn&rsquo;t take long in the game for things to get a bit chippy. Officials called a foul on Towns early, then on the same play got Patrick Beverley for a technical after a swipe at Morant&rsquo;s head. Then Adams got called for a foul that was upgraded to a flagrant 1 after he smacked Jarred Vanderbilt across the face. And all that was in the first three minutes.
UP NEXT
Game 3 is Thursday night in Minneapolis.

Ja Morant scored 23 points with 10 assists as the Grizzlies looked much more like the team that posted the NBA’s second-best record.

Grizzlies rout Timberwolves 124-96 to tie series at one apiece

Spencer Davies goes one-on-one with Elam Ending inventor Nick Elam to discuss the idea and how it's grown in popularity.

Elam Ending Q&A: Meet the inventor of the end-game craze

To say the Memphis Grizzlies are undermanned would be an understatement.
Ja Morant is out with an ankle injury, neither Jaren Jackson Jr. nor Justise Winslow has made their season debut yet to this point and even rotational piece John Konchar has missed a chunk of games. Despite those circumstances, the Grizzlies have won three games in a row and are 4-1 on the road.&nbsp;
Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins has had to look toward Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks and Jonas Valanciunas for production during this time; however, it&rsquo;s a pair of rookies who are standing out and taking advantage of this opportunity.
With key players down, Desmond Bane and Xavier Tillman have seen their roles increase, and they have provided a spark off the Grizzlies&rsquo; bench in a massive way.&nbsp;
Bane is a bulky wing with plenty of athleticism, unafraid to take on whatever man he is assigned to. He&rsquo;s not bashful on the offensive end either, as he&rsquo;s taking a healthy seven shots per game, four of which have been from long distance -- and the TCU product is knocking down 46 percent of his threes.
Tillman is a versatile big man who fits the current NBA mold. He goes out there and does his job with physicality, opening up shots for his teammates and being a switchable defender who makes his money with the fundamentals -- just ask Tom Izzo, his old head coach at Michigan State. In the last six games, Jenkins has played Tillman around 18 minutes per night, and a good chunk of those have come in the fourth quarter.
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/bane333_lg.jpg" alt="" width="791" height="AUTO" />
As a duo, Bane and Tillman have the <a href="https://go.nba.com/6pjk">highest offensive rating on the team</a> and the second-best net rating among those combinations who have played at least 90 total minutes. More importantly, in the 274 minutes without those two on the floor, <a href="https://go.nba.com/9ail">Memphis is a net minus-6.8 with a ghastly effective field goal percentage of 48.3 percent</a>, per NBA's Impact data. Jenkins is very impressed with the rookies, especially considering they were thrown in at the deep end.
&ldquo;I mean, it&rsquo;s huge for those two guys to jump in,&rdquo; Jenkins said after Monday&rsquo;s victory in Cleveland. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve talked about it before, not having a normal offseason... they&rsquo;ve just attacked every opportunity to work and get better. A lot of credit goes to those two guys. I think a lot of credit goes to our coaching staff and our performance staff to make sure that they&rsquo;re getting physically ready.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re also learning the game; the NBA game&rsquo;s completely different from college basketball -- the terminology, nuances, speed of the game. These guys have just really dove into their work -- individual work, getting the extra sessions early in the season and now they&rsquo;re getting even more reps, so they&rsquo;re having to learn from that...&rdquo;
Dillon Brooks sees the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-draft-rumors-desmond-bane-qa-prospect-2020-tcu-predraft-training-interviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confidence that Bane exudes every time</a> he steps onto the court, and the Grizzlies veteran can sense how hungry the rookie swingman and Tillman truly are.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re on the airplane watching film, they&rsquo;re asking questions and they&rsquo;re always into the details, and that&rsquo;s what you need to do as a rook to figure it out early and sustain," Brooks said after the win in Cleveland. &ldquo;Those guys are gonna be in the league for a while and I&rsquo;m proud of them, but there&rsquo;s more we can get out of them. They&rsquo;re playing really well right now.&rdquo;
There&rsquo;s been plenty of talk surrounding the possibility of elevating Bane to the starting five, including from Jenkins. The way he&rsquo;s consistently bringing it, that might not be a bad idea. Just don&rsquo;t split him from Tillman.
The man whom Memphis refers to as &ldquo;X&rdquo; is in a real groove right now. On Wednesday night, he scored a career-best 12 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. The Sparty alum appreciates the consistency of Jenkins&rsquo; offensive system, sticking to principles and living with the results.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really nice to see game-in and game-out &lsquo;cause I&rsquo;m getting the same opportunities, whether I take them or not,&rdquo; Tillman said following a win in Minnesota. &ldquo;In this game (against the Wolves), I was looking at the rim, I was feeling my floaters and I just kept letting them go. That&rsquo;s one thing that&rsquo;s really good about this organization and Coach Jenkins and how we operate.&rdquo;
Tillman has observed the difference between screening angles in college and in the NBA. He calls them &ldquo;peculiar and particular,&rdquo; citing the importance of locking in on how he&rsquo;s setting them to get his guards open. It&rsquo;s just another example of his attention to detail, and it's clear why Memphis is enamored with him.
For those who appreciate plus-minus, Tillman has yet to record a game with a negative plus-minus. Since Jan. 3, the same goes for Bane. The Grizzlies' rookies are proving to be NBA-ready and capable of delivering.
&ldquo;They just relish every opportunity. It&rsquo;s great development for them to take advantage of these opportunities and [they] have just been extremely solid,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;Two guys that are ultra-competitive, two guys that can play-make.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I love how they just let the game come to them, seem to always make the right play and I just love the activity that they&rsquo;re playing with on the defensive end. They&rsquo;re great, impactful players for us, and that&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re so excited to have them.&rdquo;

With Memphis on a three-game winning streak, Spencer Davies looks into the strong play of rookies Xavier Tillman and Desmond Bane.

Grizzlies' rookies Tillman, Bane are ready and delivering

Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, Milwaukee Bucks guard George Hill, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul and Dallas Mavericks forward-center Dwight Powell have received the 2019-20 End-of-Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of their continued commitment to positively impacting their communities through sustained efforts over the course of the season, the NBA announced today.&nbsp;
This year&rsquo;s end-of-season award recognizes five players whose exemplary work advanced social justice and provided COVID-19 relief and support, reflecting the longstanding passion of NBA players to give back to their communities and stand up for the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.
The five recipients made concerted efforts throughout the 2019-20 season &ndash; which extended nearly a full calendar year including the league&rsquo;s hiatus and restart &ndash; to leverage their platforms and voices to engage, empower and support different communities amidst the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and social justice movement following continued incidents of racialized violence against Black men and women.&nbsp; Each winning player will receive $10,000 to their charity of choice, a donation from the NBA and Kaiser Permanente.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings
Barnes has provided meaningful support to youth, families and frontline workers in Sacramento, Dallas and Ames, IA.&nbsp; Barnes and his wife, Brittany, donated $40,000 to deliver weekly groceries for families and senior citizens in Sacramento and contributed an additional $40,000 to Hunger Busters, a local non-profit that provides daily meals for Dallas Independent School District students, and $10,000 to the Boys &amp; Girls Club of Greater Dallas.&nbsp; Barnes provided nearly $200,000 for refurbishments to his alma mater Ames High School to assist with safe and healthy learning.&nbsp; He continues to take a leadership role in fighting for meaningful change to combat racial and social inequities, speaking about the importance of civic engagement and voting at a peaceful protest in downtown Sacramento in support of Black Lives Matter following the tragic murder of George Floyd.&nbsp; As part of the season restart, Barnes dedicated each Kings game to a different organization, including the Trayvon Martin Foundation, The Botham Jean Foundation, The Atatiana Project, Mothers Against Police Brutality, The Michael Brown Foundation, Tamir Rice Foundation, Champion in the Making and the African American Policy Forum, contributing $25,000 to each non-profit created by the families of victims of police brutality and gun violence.&nbsp; Barnes has selected the African American Policy Forum as the recipient of his donation.
&ldquo;It is a great honor to be named among the winners of the NBA Community Assist Award, which I proudly share with my wife, Brittany,&rdquo; said Barnes.&nbsp; &ldquo;Brittany and I remain committed to helping the communities we are connected to, specifically showing our support for families affected by police brutality.&nbsp; We dedicate this award to the legacy of Breonna Taylor and we stand with organizations such as #SayHerName with African American Policy Forum to shine a light on Black women and girls who have been victims of police brutality.&nbsp; We cannot forget them, and the Black men senselessly killed.&nbsp; Our efforts are not done, and we will continue to make a difference to fuel racial and social justice.&rdquo;
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Brown has continuously demonstrated leadership in Boston and Atlanta and throughout the hiatus and restart, organizing action and advocating for racial and educational equity.&nbsp; Following the killing of George Floyd, Brown drove 15 hours to his native Atlanta and organized a peaceful march on May 30.&nbsp; Brown&rsquo;s impassioned advocacy towards social justice inspired the Boston Celtics United for Social Justice campaign, a multi-focus commitment to addressing racial injustice and social inequities in the greater Boston area.&nbsp; In response to the pandemic, Brown made a significant contribution to the Boston Resiliency Fund, a city-led effort to assist communities most impacted by the pandemic.&nbsp; His generous donation provided meals for senior citizens and families most in need, new technology for students as they transitioned to remote learning as well as continued support for first responders.&nbsp; Brown has selected the 7uice Foundation as the recipient of his donation.
On receiving the 2019-20 End-of-Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, Brown shared, &ldquo;There is so much more work to be done.&rdquo;
George Hill, Milwaukee Bucks
Hill and his teammates were instrumental in encouraging members of the NBA family to leverage their collective platforms to advance social justice. &nbsp;Electing not to play on Aug. 26, Hill and the Bucks organized a call with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes&nbsp;to discuss meaningful measures to address criminal justice reform.&nbsp; In April, he partnered with Represent Justice for a conversation with Xavier McElrath-Bey, who was formerly incarcerated, about the criminal justice system following the Bucks&rsquo; Play for Justice game at Racine Correctional Institution in December.&nbsp; Particularly focused on education, Hill collaborated with community leaders in his hometown of Indianapolis to open Him By Her Collegiate School for the Arts, preparing underserved students for college entry and postgraduate success, and created a youth mentorship program to help Milwaukee Public School students stay engaged during the pandemic called George&rsquo;s Gentlemen.&nbsp; To support those impacted by COVID-19, Hill donated meals to health care workers and contributed to the Bucks Emergency Relief Fund to provide financial relief to Fiserv Forum employees.&nbsp; Hill has selected Represent Justice as the recipient of his donation.
&ldquo;Every day we have to live our lives with greater respect and purpose.&nbsp; This isn&rsquo;t a one-person battle, it&rsquo;s a battle for the entire world,&rdquo; Hill said.&nbsp; &ldquo;Now is the time for us to come together as one and embrace each other, love one another and grow together.&nbsp; Humanity is something we&rsquo;re lacking, and I will continue to do my job to bring back those attributes that we lack today in every community.&rdquo;
Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder
As President of the National Basketball Players Association, Paul played an integral role in ensuring the goal of the season restart would be to take collective action to combat systemic racism and promote social justice, working in partnership with the NBPA and NBA to create social justice messages on jerseys and the court, provide on campus programs and resources for players and use the game&rsquo;s platform to increase awareness around civic engagement.&nbsp; Paul, Portland&rsquo;s Carmelo Anthony and NBA legend Dwyane Wade launched the Social Change Fund in July dedicated to addressing social and economic justice issues facing Black communities and breaking down the discriminatory barriers to success.&nbsp; In March, he collaborated with Live Nation to launch an internship program at North Carolina A&amp;T State University, providing students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities with an opportunity to gain experience in the music industry.&nbsp; As part of the Chris Paul Family Foundation&rsquo;s efforts to strengthen communities, Paul donated meals to feed more than 200 hospital workers in North Carolina during the pandemic.&nbsp; Paul&rsquo;s foundation also partnered with State Farm and Spalding in January to renovate a 30-year-old court at Family T.R.E.E, an organization dedicated to renewing and reunifying families in Oklahoma City, and hosted 100 children from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma on a holiday shopping spree, teaching children how to budget their money and give during the holidays.&nbsp; Paul has selected the Chris Paul Family Foundation as the recipient of his donation.
&ldquo;The community assist award is such an honor to me any year, but this year in particular,&rdquo; said Paul.&nbsp; &ldquo;Given everything 2020 has thrown our way, it&rsquo;s important that we the players continue to use our NBA platform to be the voice of the voiceless.&nbsp; I will continue to amplify and support the front-line organizations fighting for racial and economic justice as well as the tireless efforts of the health care workers keeping us healthy and safe during the COVID-19 health crisis.&nbsp; I am so thankful for this acknowledgement as it is one of the proudest accolades an NBA player can receive.&rdquo;
Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks
During the pandemic, Powell organized immediate support for families and frontline workers in Dallas.&nbsp; He joined teammate Luka Dončić, Mavericks governor Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks Foundation in donating $500,000 to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Hospital to assist with childcare for frontline workers and provide meals from local restaurants for more than 11,000 health care workers and first responders at the City of Dallas&rsquo; Emergency Operations Center, COVID-19 testing sites and local hospitals.&nbsp; Powell also lifted the spirits of youth during periods of physical distancing, participating in children&rsquo;s hospital virtual room visits, delivering congratulatory messages for 2020 graduates, and making personal phone calls and videos encouraging positivity.&nbsp; He continues to support cancer patients and their families through the Dwight Powell Children and Family Support Fund and as part of NBA restart, orchestrated the entire Mavericks roster to select &ldquo;Equality&rdquo; to wear on their jerseys. Powell has selected Champions of Discovery as the recipient of his donation.
&ldquo;In my opinion, being a member of a community means lending your neighbor a hand whenever needed and searching for ways to help make your community a better place for all who live there,&rdquo; Powell stated. &ldquo;Furthermore, this year has presented us all with challenges that I feel should have reminded us that we are part of a much larger community than our NBA market.&nbsp; The issues at hand regarding public health and equality are far reaching and demand all of our attention.&nbsp; So it goes without saying we as NBA players have felt the need to step up in whatever way we can to try and find ways to help keep people safe, fight for racial justice and urge everyone to register to vote so they too can use their voices. As members of the greater community I feel that&rsquo;s all of our duties.&rdquo;
The NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente recognizes an NBA player each month who best reflects the passion that the league and its players share for giving back to their communities, and honors the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece.&nbsp; The monthly award recipients in the 2019-20 NBA season included Gorgui Dieng of the Memphis Grizzlies, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, DeAndre Jordan of the Brooklyn Nets, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and Langston Galloway of the Detroit Pistons.&nbsp;

Harrison Barnes, Jaylen Brown, George Hill, Chris Paul and Dwight Powell received the 2019-20 NBA Cares Community Assist award.