He spoke for several minutes about his 20-year friendship with Saunders, expressed his condolences and urged the Wolves’ many young players to speak about death and their memories and feelings rather than hide from them.
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The Lakers lost their season and home opener to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night, 112-111, and in the process managed to look eerily like last season’s squad.
Saunders died Sunday from complications due to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The defense, too. That started everything. Sacramento had 18 turnovers with 12 coming in the first half. Other legends who have scored these big points are Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Kareem Abdul, Jabbar. “I think it will help the team spread the floor”.
One of those Saunders impacted the most is Timberwolves icon Kevin Garnett.
“I got a little more aggressive as the game went along”. “It’s unbelievable with how our week has gone”.
Lakers guard Lou Williams missed a potential game-winning shot just before the final horn, allowing the Timberwolves to prevail.
“I think I’ve always been a fan (of Bryant)”, Scott said on Wednesday. “But the young guys, they sometimes they just don’t have a clue, and most of the time they’re just waiting for you to tell them what you want them to do”.
Bryant kicked off his NBA-record 20th campaign by scoring 24 points to lead the Lakers. “That’s insane.” Bryant surpassed John Stockton, who played for the Utah Jazz from the 1984-85 season until his retirement after 2002-03.
“I felt good but my shots didn’t go in in the fourth quarter”, said Bryant, who missed all five attempts in the final period and made just 2 of 11 in the second half.
“That timing will come back”, Bryant said.
“There definitely was a chance just because of what he means and what he is in Minnesota, especially in the basketball world”, Jones said this week.
Rubio gave the Timberwolves the lead at 101-99 on a jumper with 6:11 remaining, capping a 19-6 surge. After a free throw by guard Andrew Wiggins, Clarkson’s bucket pulled Los Angeles within one. The Lakers have beaten Minnesota 15 out of the last 17 matchups between these two teams in Los Angeles. Williams, though, couldn’t convert a runner in the lane.
“He would send a couple quotes and it would say, ‘I will bust your butts when training camp starts, come in shape, ‘ in group text messages”, Miller said.
Forward Shabazz Muhammad was the only other Minnesota player to score in double figures with 10 points.
National Basketball Association commissioner Adam Silver attended the game and spoke to the Timberwolves in their locker room before the contest.
The Timberwolves will play a pregame video tribute to fallen coach and president Flip Saunders before Monday’s home opener, the team announced Thursday.
The thought made Lakers coach Byron Scott feel old. “He played it, coached it on all levels and he loved it”, Mitchell said. “The rest will take care of itself.”… Moreover, the inclusion of center Roy Hibbert will be noticed if he really is up to play in a high-energy style of game.
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As if that wasn’t impressive enough, according Elias Sports Bureau, via ESPN, our boy Kobe “is the only player in any of the four major North American sports leagues to play 20 or more seasons all for a team based in L.A”. In another questionable coaching move, Bryant inbounded the ball on the play and did not even serve as a decoy.
