2021 — Domantas Sabonis, Indiana 2020 — Bam Adebayo, Miami 2019 — Jayson Tatum, Boston 2018 — Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn 2017 — Kristaps Porzingis, New York 2016 — Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota 2015 — Patrick Beverley, Houston 2014 — Trey Burke, Utah; Damian Lillard, Portland-x 2013 — Damian Lillard, Portland 2012 — Tony Parker, San Antonio 2011 — Stephen Curry, Golden State 2010 — Steve Nash, Phoenix 2009 — Derrick Rose, Chicago 2008 — Deron Williams, Utah 2007 — Dwyane Wade, Miami 2006 — Dwyane Wade, Miami 2005 — Steve Nash, Phoenix 2004 — Baron Davis, New Orleans 2003 — Jason Kidd, New Jersey Note: x-format changed to a two-man relay.

CHICAGO (AP) — The leadership of the National Basketball Coaches Association spoke out Wednesday about its “concern and level of disappointment” with the way the Minnesota Timberwolves went about their coaching change earlier this week. The statement came from NBCA president Rick Carlisle of the Dallas Mavericks and NBCA executive director David Fogel. “The NBCA understands and respects each organization’s right to hire and fire whomever and whenever it chooses,” said their statement, first released only to ESPN before being distributed to other outlets. “But it is also our responsibility to point out when an organization fails to conduct a thorough and transparent search of candidates from a wide range of diverse backgrounds.” The Timberwolves fired Ryan Saunders on Sunday night and struck a deal to hire Toronto assistant Chris Finch almost immediately. Finch was formally announced as the coach Monday morning. “There were other candidates, minority candidates we considered at this time,”... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the Minnesota Timberwolves decided again to change coaches, president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas turned to one of the candidates he interviewed during the last search. The dossier on Chris Finch was still fresh. The last round of this came less than two years ago. “I think the near-misses motivated me even more. Everything happens for a reason. This is a place I really want to be. This is place I wanted to be in 2019,” said Finch, who was introduced Monday as the 14th coach of the Timberwolves in 32 seasons after less than three months as an assistant for the Toronto Raptors. Finch replaced Ryan Saunders, who was fired Sunday night after Minnesota lost at New York and fell to a league-worst 7-24. “We had a group that was able to build leads. We didn’t have a group that was able to finish games, and that’s something that became very concerning over the last two weeks,” Rosas said. Not only did the 51-year-old Finch recently interview for the position,... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For the 10th time in the past 15 years, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a new head coach. Toronto assistant Chris Finch was introduced Monday as the replacement for Ryan Saunders, who was fired the night before with the team carrying the NBA’s worst record. “We have excellent pieces in place, and I can’t wait to get to work," Finch said in a statement distributed by the Timberwolves, before he was scheduled to meet the team in Milwaukee prior to playing there Tuesday. President of basketball operations Gersson Rosas made the change on the bench to the 51-year-old Finch, who was in his first season with the Raptors. They worked together in Houston, where Finch was an assistant (2011-16) and Rosas was a basketball operations executive. “He is one of the most creative basketball minds in the NBA, has success maximizing players, and I am excited to see him bring our team to the next level and beyond,” Rosas said. Finch has 24 years of coaching experience, roughly half of... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday finalized the hiring of Toronto assistant Chris Finch as their new head coach, hours after firing Ryan Saunders with the team carrying the NBA’s worst record. President of basketball operations Gersson Rosas made the change on the bench to the 51-year-old Finch, who was in his first season with the Raptors. They worked together in Houston, where Finch was an assistant (2011-16) and Rosas was a basketball operations executive. “He is one of the most creative basketball minds in the NBA, has success maximizing players, and I am excited to see him bring our team to the next level and beyond,” Rosas said in a statement distributed by the Timberwolves. Finch has 24 years of coaching experience, roughly half of that in Europe. The two-time NCAA Division III All-American at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania played for the Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League and later coached the same team from 1997-2003. Finch... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday finalized the hiring of Toronto assistant Chris Finch as their new head coach, hours after firing Ryan Saunders with the team carrying the NBA’s worst record. President of basketball operations Gersson Rosas made the change on the bench to the 51-year-old Finch, who was in his first season with the Raptors. They worked together in Houston, where Finch was an assistant (2011-16) and Rosas was a basketball operations executive. “He is one of the most creative basketball minds in the NBA, has success maximizing players, and I am excited to see him bring our team to the next level and beyond,” Rosas said in a statement distributed by the Timberwolves. Finch has 24 years of coaching experience, roughly half of that in Europe. The two-time NCAA Division III All-American at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania played for the Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League and later coached the same team from 1997-2003. Finch... [More]

Chris Finch is the new coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team announced Monday after dismissing Ryan Saunders the previous night. Saunders was fired Sunday after the team with the NBA’s worst record this season lost for the eighth time in the last nine games. The team quickly hired Finch, who was in his first season as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors. “Chris brings a wealth of basketball experience from his time in the NBA, G League and Internationally," Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas said. “He is one of the most creative basketball minds in the NBA, has success maximizing players, and I am excited to see him bring our team to the next level and beyond.” At 7-24, Minnesota has the league’s worst record this season and already is 7 1/2 games out of what would be the final play-in spot for the Western Conference postseason. The Timberwolves next play on Tuesday, visiting Milwaukee. “We would like to thank Ryan for his time and commitment to the... [More]

The Minnesota Timberwolves fired coach Ryan Saunders on Sunday night, hours after the team with the NBA’s worst record this season lost for the eighth time in the last nine games. A person with knowledge of the situation said that the Timberwolves were finalizing plans to introduce Toronto assistant Chris Finch as the new coach Monday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Finch’s hiring has not been formally completed. ESPN first reported Saunders’ dismissal and The Athletic first reported Finch’s looming hiring. Saunders, the 34-year-old son of longtime Minnesota coach Flip Saunders, was with the Timberwolves for parts of three seasons, going 43-94. Minnesota has the league’s worst record this season at 7-24 and is already 7 1/2 games out of what would be the final play-in spot for the Western Conference postseason. “We would like to thank Ryan for his time and commitment to the Timberwolves organization and wish him the best in the future,” Timberwolves... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves point guard D'Angelo Russell will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and be sidelined for four to six weeks, the team announced Tuesday. Russell, who has missed the last three games due to soreness in his left leg, was diagnosed with a loose body in his knee. The procedure will take place Wednesday. Russell, who turns 25 next week, is averaging 19.3 points and 5.1 assists this season on 42.6% shooting. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft had quadriceps soreness in his right leg earlier that kept him out for four games. More than a calendar year after the Timberwolves acquired Russell in a trade with Golden State, pairing him with his pal Karl-Anthony Towns, the Russell-Towns duo has played in only five games together. Towns missed long stretches of time because of a wrist injury last season and this one. More recently, he was sidelined by COVID-19 for more than three weeks. ___ More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A person with knowledge of the situation says All-Star forward Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has tested positive for the coronavirus and is quarantining in his native Serbia.Jokic is expected to be back in Denver long before the team leaves for the Disney complex for the restart of the NBA season next month, said the person who spoke The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because neither the player nor the team acknowledged the positive test publicly.ESPN and The Denver Post previously reported Jokic’s positive test, which came on the same day that another top Serbian athlete — Novak Djokovic, the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player — revealed that he and his wife had tested positive for the virus.Djokovic and Jokic were together at an event earlier this month, though it cannot be concluded that that played in a role in the positive test of either athlete. Jokic is averaging 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds this season for Denver. Only four other players — Minnesota’s... [More]

A person with knowledge of the situation says All-Star forward Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has tested positive for the coronavirus and is quarantining in his native Serbia.Jokic is expected to be back in Denver long before the team leaves for the Disney complex for the restart of the NBA season next month, said the person who spoke The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because neither the player nor the team acknowledged the positive test publicly.ESPN and The Denver Post previously reported Jokic’s positive test, which came on the same day that another top Serbian athlete — Novak Djokovic, the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player — revealed that he and his wife had tested positive for the virus.Djokovic and Jokic were together at an event earlier this month, though it cannot be concluded that that played in a role in the positive test of either athlete. Jokic is averaging 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds this season for Denver. Only four other players — Minnesota’s... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Another season of setback and tumult has mercifully ended for the Minnesota Timberwolves, this time in the strangest of ways after the NBA's decision to resume virus-halted play with 22 teams.The revelation of the makeshift plan immediately put the Timberwolves, who finished 19-45 for the third-worst record in the league, in offseason mode after nearly three months in limbo while the world wrestled with the COVID-19 pandemic and all NBA arenas went dark.There was no arguing from Minnesota, where the 18 games remaining on the original schedule before the shutdown would have had little benefit as long as star center Karl-Anthony Towns was sidelined with a wrist injury.“While we are disappointed for our team and our fans that our season is coming to an end, we understand and accept the league’s plan to move forward with 22 teams. It is important that we be a good teammate not only to the NBA, but to the other 29 teams to support the efforts to complete this season and prepare... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, the mother of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, died Monday due to complications from COVID-19 after more than a month of fighting the virus. She was 58.The Timberwolves made the announcement via the Towns family, which requested privacy. The team intially said Cruz-Towns was 59. Karl Towns Sr., the father of the two-time All-Star player, was also hospitalized with the virus but has since recovered. A native of the Dominican Republic, Cruz-Towns was a fixture at Timberwolves games from the start of her son's NBA career. He was the first overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Kentucky.“Jackie was many things to many people — a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend,” the statement from the Towns family said. “She was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring, and extremely loving person who touched everyone she met. Her passion was palpable, and her energy will never be replaced.”The family expressed... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, the mother of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, died Monday due to complications from COVID-19 after more than a month of fighting the virus. She was 59.The Timberwolves made the announcement via the Towns family, which requested privacy. Karl Towns Sr., the father of the two-time All-Star player, was also hospitalized with the virus but has since recovered. A native of the Dominican Republic, Cruz-Towns was a fixture at Timberwolves games from the start of her son's NBA career. He was the first overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Kentucky.“Jackie was many things to many people — a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend,” the statement from the Towns family said. “She was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring, and extremely loving person who touched everyone she met. Her passion was palpable, and her energy will never be replaced.”The family expressed gratitude to the “warriors” at Penn Presbyterian... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, the mother of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, died Monday due to complications from COVID-19 after more than a month of fighting the virus.The Timberwolves made the announcement via the Towns family, which requested privacy. Karl Towns Sr., the father of the two-time All-Star player, was also hospitalized with the virus but has since recovered. A native of the Dominican Republic, Cruz-Towns was a fixture at Timberwolves games from the start of Karl-Anthony Towns' NBA career in 2015.“Jackie was many things to many people — a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend,” the statement from the Towns family said. “She was an incredible source of strength; a fiery, caring, and extremely loving person who touched everyone she met. Her passion was palpable, and her energy will never be replaced.”The family expressed gratitude to the “warriors” at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia and JFK Medical Center... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother is hospitalized and in a medically-induced coma after contracting the coronavirus. Towns talked about the condition of his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, Wednesday on his Instagram page. He urged his followers to take COVID-19 seriously and practice social distancing. Towns said both his parents went to the hospital recently and were tested for the disease. While his father was released and told to quarantine at home, his mother's condition deteriorated to the point where she was put on a ventilator and placed in a coma.“She just wasn’t getting better,” Towns said. “Her fever wasn’t cutting from 103. It’d maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds then immediately spike back up during the night. She was very uncomfortable. Her lungs were getting worse, cough was getting worse. She was deteriorating in front of our eyes.”Towns said he's trying to remain positive attitude as his family deals with the situation. “My mother, she’s the strongest woman I know and I know she’ll beat this,” Towns said. “We’re going to rejoice when she does.”For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The majority of people recover from the virus.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother is hospitalized and in a medically-induced coma after contracting the new coronavirus. Towns talked about the condition of his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, early Wednesday on his Instagram page and urged his followers to take COVID-19 seriously and practice social distancing. Towns said both his parents went to the hospital recently and were tested for the disease. While his father was released and told to quarantine at home, his mother's condition deteriorated to the point where she was put on a ventilator and placed in a coma.“She just wasn’t getting better,” Towns said. “Her fever wasn’t cutting from 103. It’d maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds then immediately spike back up during the night. She was very uncomfortable. Her lungs were getting worse, cough was getting worse. She was deteriorating in front of our eyes.”Towns said he's trying to remain positive attitude as his family deals with the situation. “My mother, she’s the strongest woman I know and I know she’ll beat this,” Towns said. “We’re going to rejoice when she does.”For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Gordon recorded his first career-triple double and was proudest of his assist total.Terrence Ross scored 19 of his season-high 33 points in the fourth quarter and Gordon finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists, leading the Orlando Magic to a 136-125 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.Gordon is averaging more than 21 points and 10 rebounds over the Magic's recent six-game surge. This time, he felt best about his career high in assists.“That's what I'm looking to do,” he said. “I'm looking to distribute the ball and make the game easier for everybody on the floor and they do the same for me. It works well.”“He puts us in a different place,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. “He's not just scoring, he's playing an all-around game.”Nikola Vucevic added 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who won for the fifth time in six games.D'Angelo Russell led Minnesota with 28 points, but did not score After a layup that gave the Timberwolves... [More]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Terrence Ross scored 19 of his season-high 33 points in the fourth quarter and Aaron Gordon finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists for his first career triple-double, leading the Orlando Magic to a 136-125 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.Nikola Vucevic added 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who won for the fifth time in six games.D'Angelo Russell led Minnesota with 28 points, but did not score in the fourth quarter. Juancho Hernangomez added 18 points and 13 rebounds.The Timberwolves have lost 19 of their last 21 games, and 11 of their last 12 in Orlando.The 136 points marked a season-high for the Magic, the second-lowest scoring team in the NBA. They shot 54% and had a 54-33 rebounding advantage.After falling behind by as many as 13 points in the first half, Minnesota rallied behind Russell and Malik Beasley, taking a six-point lead on a 3-pointer by Russell from the corner with 5:23 left in the third quarter.Orlando... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns will sit out for at least two more weeks because of an injured left wrist that the team announced Friday is broken.Towns first had an X-ray after hurting his wrist Jan. 25 against Oklahoma City, coach Ryan Saunders said. Towns played through discomfort in the next six games, posting 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in five of those, but he was ruled out of Minnesota's last game before the All-Star break with the injury. Further evaluation by multiple medical specialists revealed the fracture, the Timberwolves said.Towns will be re-evaluated in two weeks and his playing status reassessed, meaning his absence will total at least 10 games. Towns missed 15 games earlier this season with a left knee injury. He played in all 82 games in each of his first three seasons and 77 games last season.“Karl’s done everything to play through any type of pain, and he’s put the team first," Saunders said. “You can’t say enough positive... [More]