MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Justin Patton has had surgery for a broken foot for the second straight year and is out indefinitely.The team said Tuesday that Patton's operation on his right foot in New York went as planned.Patton sustained the same injury, a fractured fifth metatarsal, on his left loot last year after he was drafted 16th overall out of Creighton. He was acquired by the Timberwolves in the draft-night trade with Chicago for Jimmy Butler.As a result of his surgery, Patton appeared in only one game as a rookie last season. He averaged 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 38 games for Minnesota's G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. Behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng, playing time for Patton was already going to be hard to come by.___More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Justin Patton is sidelined indefinitely after injuring his right foot during a workout.The Timberwolves said Sunday that Patton will undergo surgery.The 6-foot-11 center played in one game for Minnesota last season, scoring two points and recording one steal in about four minutes on April 1 against Utah.Patton appeared in 38 games for the Iowa Wolves, averaging 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for Minnesota's G League affiliate.Patton was selected 16th overall in the 2017 NBA draft. The Timberwolves acquired Patton's draft rights, along with Jimmy Butler, in June 2017 from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the draft rights to Lauri Markkanen.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed free agent forward Luol Deng, the latest former Chicago Bulls player to reunite with coach Tom Thibodeau.Deng's one-year deal is for the minimum salary of $2.4 million for a player with his experience, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team does not release terms.Deng will join former Bulls teammates Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose in Minnesota. They all played for Thibodeau with Chicago, too.Just two seasons into a four-year, $72 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, Deng was waived on Sept. 1 in a buyout move that allowed them to spread the final season of that albatross deal over a three-year span of the salary cap limit.The contract was a remnant of the administration of former Lakers basketball boss Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak, the duo that was dismissed seven months after handing out hefty deals to Deng... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed free agent forward Luol Deng, the latest former Chicago Bulls player to reunite with coach Tom Thibodeau.Deng's one-year deal is for $2.4 million, according to a person with knowledge of the contract speaking on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the team does not release terms. Deng will join former Bulls teammates Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose in Minnesota. They all played for Thibodeau with Chicago, too.Deng debuted with the Bulls as a 19-year-old in 2004, when the native of South Sudan was the seventh overall pick in the draft out of Duke. Deng played 10 seasons for Chicago, but Minnesota will be his fifth team in six years. He was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers on Sept. 1.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Jimmy Butler has undergone minor surgery on his right hand.The Timberwolves announced Thursday that Butler had the elective procedure on Tuesday. The team said Butler has already returned to offseason activities.Butler, who missed 21 games last season with an injury to his right knee, averaged 22.2 points per game for the Timberwolves after arriving in a trade with Chicago. He helped lead the Wolves to their first postseason appearance since 2004. Butler can opt out of his contract and become a free agent after the upcoming season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves made major strides this season in ending their 13-year absence from the NBA playoffs after a franchise-altering trade for All-Star Jimmy Butler.With cornerstones Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins in their early 20s and veterans Taj Gibson and Jeff Teague coming off productive debuts in Minnesota, there is a sturdy starting lineup in place around Butler to ideally take the Timberwolves deeper in the next postseason.Advancement is easier stated than consummated.The Wolves, even with coach Tom Thibodeau's preference to give his first-teamers heavy minutes, need to add depth this summer with defense and 3-point shooting atop the skill-set wish list. There is no clear way to acquire more of it, though, after making the logical first moves by drafting versatile wing players Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop last week .Wiggins will begin playing on his maximum contract in 2018-19, with a $25 million-plus salary that will account for more than 20... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves used the draft to add a pair of players possessing the skills they want for the wing positions.Even if Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop prove they are capable right away of a place in the rotation, though, there is a question about how much they will actually play as rookies. This is, after all, the team run by Tom Thibodeau, who is as likely to prefer experience over potential as any head coach in the NBA."Practices are important. Playing time is based on performance. You earn that," Thibodeau said. "That's not just something that is given to you."Okogie and Bates-Diop, during their introduction at a news conference Tuesday, sounded like they understand the climb they face. All five starters for the Wolves last season averaged 33 minutes per game or more and ranked among the top 36 most-used players in the league, with Jimmy Butler third and Andrew Wiggins ninth."Everybody wants to play a lot as a rookie, but that comes with trust and learning... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are taking a pair of picks and a flexible approach into the NBA draft.The Wolves own the 20th overall selection in the first round as well as the 48th overall choice in the second round on Thursday night.In a draft that's considered deep in wing players, the Wolves could stay put and use one or both of those picks at a position where defense and 3-point shooting are critical and depth is needed behind Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins. Cap space would help, too, so trading out of their spot to seek salary relief would not be a surprise, either.President and coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Wednesday that "all options are open right now."___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James was unanimously selected to the All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, while Houston's James Harden also appeared on all 100 first-team ballots.They were joined Thursday on the first team by New Orleans' Anthony Davis, Golden State's Kevin Durant and Portland's Damian Lillard.James passed Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone with the 12th first-team selection of his 15-year career. He also was a second-team selection twice.The second team was forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee and LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, and guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto.Injury absences sent Golden State's Stephen Curry tumbling to the third team, where he was joined in the backcourt by Indiana's Victor Oladipo. Minnesota teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler, and Oklahoma City's Paul George rounded out the third team.Voting was done by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have two All-NBA players in the same season for the first time in 14 years.Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were both named to the All-NBA third team. The league's all-star teams were announced Thursday.The last Timberwolves pair on the list was Kevin Garnett (first team) and Sam Cassell (second team) in 2004. That was also the last time the team made the playoffs before returning last month to end the NBA's longest active absence.Butler was an All-NBA third team selection in 2017 with Chicago. He shot a career-high 47.4 percent from the field and finished 15th in the league with an average of 22.2 points per game.This was the first such honor for Towns. He led the NBA with 68 double-doubles this season.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For the first time since 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves are entering May without their customary collection of good-luck charms for the NBA draft lottery.The longest-running absence from the playoffs in the league finally over, the Wolves took a significant accomplishment into the summer after their 47-35 record during the regular season tied for the fifth-best in franchise history."When you haven't done something for 14 years, it's a major step for our organization, and it's not easy to do. Winning in this league is very difficult, and we should understand that," said president of basketball operations and head coach Tom Thibodeau, who joined general manager Scott Layden on Monday for a wrapup news conference.Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns gave the Timberwolves multiple representatives at the All-Star game for the first time since Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell in 2004 on their way to the Western Conference finals. That was the most recent postseason appearance... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — By now, LeBron James is usually getting some rest in the NBA playoffs.The Pacers are making him work much harder than he has in years.After splitting the first four games, Indiana and Cleveland will meet on Wednesday night in the critical Game 5 of a first-round series that has been unpredictable, uneven and for James, unusual.This first round hasn't been the norm for the three-time champion.While he's 12-0 in the opening round, before the Cavs dropped Game 1 to the Pacers at home, James had never lost a playoff opener. In fact, James came in with a 21-game winning streak in first-round games and this will be his first Game 5 in Round 1 since 2012 when he was with Miami.The Cavs and Pacers aren't the only ones in a tussle in the Eastern Conference as Washington and Toronto resume their series in Canada tied 2-2. Things aren't quite as tight In the West as Utah holds a 3-1 lead over a fraying Oklahoma City team, and Houston, which dropped 50 points in one quarter... [More]

Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double, so he gets plenty of attention. Ricky Rubio just had a triple-double , earning him some time in the headlines. Donovan Mitchell has been great in his first three playoff games, so the fascination with the rookie star is only growing.It's easy to notice those guys.Rudy Gobert should be getting noticed as well.Utah is taking a 2-1 lead into their Western Conference first-round series against Oklahoma City on Monday night, and Gobert is probably as responsible for the Jazz being in that position than anyone. He's controlling the backboards, he's changing shots, he's thwarting Westbrook and he's showing why he's the likely Defensive Player of the Year."It makes the guards' jobs a lot easier," Mitchell said of the French safety net with the 7-foot-9 wingspan who protects the rim for the Jazz. "You feel more secure on the wing. ... The whole season, I've been saying if somebody gets by me, it's like, 'All right, go ahead, try it. Because I've tried... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The first taste of the NBA playoffs for Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns has been rather bitter, thanks to the 3-point-happy Houston Rockets.The two-game totals tell a frustrating story for the 22-year-old: just 13 points, 5 for 18 shooting and a 2-0 deficit in the series against the Rockets. Towns has found himself the subject of pointed criticism from analysts, fans and even his own team.The switch-heavy Rockets have double-teamed Towns to a stifling effect, and the Timberwolves sure haven't helped their 7-footer out by getting him the ball in favorable situations in the post."They're coming to double. He knows that. He has to face up, be strong with the ball, make quick moves," point guard Jeff Teague said. "But we have to figure out how to get him running, get him some easy buckets."The team's struggles have taken a little luster off Minnesota's first postseason home game in 14 years, but the fans who remember the Timberwolves reaching the Western Conference... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Paul George has found his shot.Actually, the Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star has been on a roll heading into the playoffs.In the five regular season games in April, he averaged 27.6 points and made 41 percent of his 3-pointers and 90 percent of his free throws. He closed the regular season with a 40-point outburst against Memphis.He kept it up in OKC's playoff opener, scoring 36 points and setting a Thunder playoff record with eight 3-pointers as Oklahoma City beat Utah 116-108 .It took George a minute to consistently take the scoring pressure off Russell Westbrook. He struggled on offense right after the All-Star break and said he couldn't find his shot."To his credit, when he was going through a little bit of that slump where he wasn't shooting the ball particularly well, he really put extra work in," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "I felt like he was really driven and focused to work his way through it."A couple of former OKC standouts are also thriving early in... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — So far the trade for Chris Paul to give the Houston Rockets another superstar to help James Harden has worked famously.Now the two, who have both had their fair share of playoff disappointments, will try to carry their regular-season success into the postseason when the Rockets open a first-round series with Minnesota on Sunday night.The guards have been effusive in their praise for one another, with Harden recently joking that his relationship with the nine-time All-Star was "love at first sight." Paul didn't go quite that far, but a huge smile crossed his often serious face when asked how their pairing has worked."Unbelievable," he said. "You just (don't) get this opportunity too often in a career to play with somebody like James ... you get a chance to appreciate greatness."What he's doing on a nightly basis and stuff like that, it's crazy and I'm in awe," Paul continued. "I'm grateful I get to play alongside him."When told of what Paul said about him, Harden was quick... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The impact made by Jimmy Butler on the Minnesota Timberwolves was obvious from the start, transcending the two ends of the court where he's made his mark as a four-time All-Star.Perhaps no better example of the leadership he contributed to a long-languishing franchise trying to find its way came during a three-day stretch in mid-December.With Butler playing through back spasms, the Timberwolves lost at home to a Phoenix Suns team that ultimately finished with the NBA's worst record. Afterward, Butler was flat on the floor in the locker room, in enough discomfort that moving around was a difficult proposition.Two nights later, Butler powered past the pain to score 37 points and carry the Wolves to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers , who finished third in the Western Conference this season."If you go out there and show them how hard you have to play in this league until the end on a constant basis," Butler said then, cajoling his young teammates, "that's when they... [More]

Hey, here's something we haven't heard before.The NBA playoffs are wide open.At perhaps no other time in the league's history have so many teams gone into the postseason with a real shot at hoisting the trophy at the end of this two-month grind.From the top seeds in Houston and Toronto, to the old stalwarts in Golden State and Cleveland, to the brash up-and-comers in Philadelphia and Minnesota, there are potential storylines galore and no real way to predict how it all may shake out."We've got a chance," said LeBron James, who will be seeking his eighth straight trip to the finals. "That's all you can ask for."For pretty much the NBA's entire history, there's been little reason to tune in for the playoffs until they got to the finals. No wonder Charles Barkley became so enamored with the NHL version of the postseason — that's a sport that actually doles out some real drama once the regular season is over.The NBA?Yawn.Over the last four decades, a top-seeded team has claimed 28 championships.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — John Paxson insisted the Chicago Bulls are in a good position. And the Bulls' top executive hopes they are never in this spot again."We did this year what we felt was in the long-term best interests of the Bulls," Paxson said Thursday. "It's not a situation that any of us want to ever be in again. It goes against everything as a competitive person that you believe in, but it's the way the system is set up. To be very honest, we believe we've done it the right way."The Bulls went 27-55, their worst record since the 2003-04 season, and missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. But they are staying the course after going all-in on rebuilding.Paxson, Chicago's executive vice president of basketball operations, praised coach Fred Hoiberg and said he will "absolutely" return for a fourth season. He said most of the roster will be back "because we're headed in the right direction" and called this "as important a summer as we've had in a very long time."Here are some... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Wiggins left Minnesota's arena on Monday night with the hope that Denver would lose and, thus, secure the Timberwolves a spot in the playoffs.He planned to track the Nuggets on his smartphone like most of his teammates, but there was no viewing party in the works or anxious huddle around the high-definition television in the locker room.The Timberwolves mostly were just relieved they did their part by beating Memphis, considering way they've playing lately."It's our fault for leaving it up to chance," Wiggins said. "So we've just got to wait and see."Fittingly for a once-promising season that has become a slog to the finish, the Wolves wound up watching the Nuggets rally past Portland about an hour after they left the court at Target Center. That kept Denver tied with Minnesota at 46-35 for eighth place in the Western Conference with two days remaining on the schedule.Well, guess who their final opponent is? The Nuggets will bring a six-game winning streak to Target... [More]