Timberwolves Announce Additional Plans For Thursday, February 15 ‘Flip Saunders Night’

Minneapolis-St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced additional details surrounding “Flip Saunders Night” on Thursday, February 15 as the Wolves play host to the Los Angeles Lakers at Target Center.
 
The pregame ceremony and the unveiling of a permanent banner to honor the memory of Flip will take place at approximately 7:15 pm. Doors will open at 6:30 pm to accommodate the early crowd arrival for the ceremony.

The team has worked with the Saunders family to make the evening about raising awareness and funds for the “Flip Saunders Legacy Fund.” The fund was established to aid and support deserving individuals and groups to continue to portray the positive impact of the life of Flip Saunders.
 
Renowned custom sneaker shop Kickstradomis will be creating a different pair of custom sneakers for each Timberwolves player, with each pair inspired by Flip. The shoes will be auctioned off at the game outside of section 118, with bids being accepted through the end of halftime. During halftime, the Wolves have commissioned speed painter David Garibaldi to create a piece of art live honoring Flip’s memory. The painting and the team’s game-worn jerseys from that evening’s contest will both be part of a postgame auction. All proceeds from the auctions will benefit the Flip Saunders Legacy Fund. The Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation will also make a $5,000 donation in-game to the fund.
 
Additionally, all fans in attendance will receive a Flip Saunders commemorative coin. One of Flip’s trademarks during his tenure with the Wolves was to create a new team coin each season for players and front office staff, then randomly give them to people he would encounter as a way to include fans on that season’s journey.
 
“Minnesota has always been our family’s home,” said Debbie Saunders, widow of Flip Saunders. “Flip not only had a passion for the Timberwolves but for basketball in the State of Minnesota. We are incredibly grateful to the Timberwolves for memorializing Flip in such a moving way and having his memory live on inside Target Center forever.”
 
“Flip meant so much to our organization as a coach, but he meant so much more to all of us as a friend,” said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. “His impact on our organization and what he meant to the Minnesota basketball community is something that will always be with us. It is appropriate that we honor the man who meant so much to us with of a banner in our home arena that will forever fortify his memory.”
 
Saunders compiled an overall record of 427-392 (.521) in 12 seasons covering two different stints with the organization. From 1995-2005, he guided the Timberwolves to eight consecutive playoff appearances, highlighted by an appearance in the 2004 NBA Western Conference Finals. Upon his return in 2013, Saunders assumed the role of President of Basketball Operations. Prior to the 2014-15 season, Saunders added the duties of head coach to his responsibilities. In addition to the Timberwolves, Saunders was head coach of the Detroit Pistons (2005-2008), guiding them to three straight appearances in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Saunders also was the head coach of the Washington Wizards (2009-2011) prior to his return to Minnesota.
 
For tickets to the Thursday, February 15 game and all other Timberwolves home games at Target Center, visit www.timberwolves.com. The Timberwolves have won 12 consecutive games at home, the longest current home winning streak in the NBA and two short of the franchise record of 14 consecutive home wins during the 2003-04 regular season. The game against the Lakers serves as the final game in an upcoming three-game homestand which begins Sunday, February 11 against the Sacramento Kings.

Timberwolves Butler and Towns Named NBA Western Conference All-Stars

Minneapolis/St. Paul – Timberwolves forward Jimmy Butler and forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns were today named NBA Western Conference All-Stars by the National Basketball Association. Butler and Towns were named to the team as reserves via balloting by NBA head coaches. Towns and Butler become the 6th and 7th Wolves players to earn NBA All-Star honors, joining Tom Gugliotta, Kevin Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak, Sam Cassell and Kevin Love. Butler and Towns become the fourth pair of teammates to be named NBA All-Stars in the same year in Wolves history (Garnett/Gugliotta, 1997; Garnett/Szczerbiak, 2002; Garnett/Cassell, 2004).

For Butler, this will be his fourth NBA All-Star appearance, all as a reserve and first with the Wolves. Towns earns his first NBA All-Star appearance after appearing in the Rising Stars Challenge in each of the last two seasons. The 2018 NBA All-Star Game will be played at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 18.

Butler and Towns have led the Wolves to a 31-18 record this season, including a 24-7 mark vs. the Western Conference, as Minnesota currently sits atop the Northwest Division and in the No. 3 position in the Western Conference. The Wolves are the first team in the NBA this season to match its win total from the 2016-17 campaign (31). Minnesota has won 12 more games than at this point last year, good for the largest win increase in the NBA. The Wolves are 14-5 over their last 19 games, a span that includes two separate five-game winning streaks and the Wolves’ second-ever 5-0 homestand. Minnesota currently owns a nine-game winning streak at Target Center, the team’s longest single-season home winning streak since the 2003-04 Wolves won 14 straight home games from Dec. 16, 2003 to Feb. 6, 2004.

In his first campaign with Minnesota, Butler has registered averages of 21.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 36.9 minutes per game this season while shooting a career-best 47.6% from the floor, 35.4% from long distance and a career-high 87.5% from the free throw line. Butler’s 2.04 steals per game average is a career-high and places him 4th in the NBA. Over his last 18 games, Butler has led the Wolves to a 12-6 record, averaging 25.3 points on 51.1% shooting and 5.4 assists per game while going 138-for-154 (89.6%) from the free throw line during the stretch. The Tomball, Texas native has led the Wolves in scoring a team-high 21 times and has posted seven 30+ point games. Butler has also led the team in assists on 15 occasions, including dishing out a season-high 10 Nov. 28 vs. Washington. The 6-8 forward currently ranks 19th in scoring, T-26th in assists, T-20th in free throw accuracy and 4th in minutes.

Butler scored a season-high 39 points, including a franchise-record 12 in overtime, in Minnesota’s 128-125 win over Denver on Dec. 27. Butler netted 20 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter in a 112-106 victory over the L.A. Clippers on Dec. 3, becoming the 14th player in franchise history to score 20+ points in a single quarter. Butler registered 26 points, 10 rebounds and five steals Nov. 19 vs. Detroit, joining Kevin Garnett and Tom Gugliotta as the only Wolves players to accumulate those numbers in a single game.

Towns has appeared in every game this season, continuing his ironman streak to 213 contests, the second-longest active streak in the NBA. In 48 games this year, Towns has tallied averages of 20.0 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.55 blocks per contest while shooting 53.7% from the floor, a team-best 41.2% from long range and 83.9% from the free throw line. His 41 doubles-doubles lead the NBA and he has put up double digit scoring and rebounding totals in 14 straight games. Over his last 37 games, Towns is shooting 44.4% (60-of-135) from long range. The Edison, New Jersey native was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 20, his third such honor. The 7-0 forward/center has paced the Wolves in scoring 20 times and rebounding on 42 occasions. Towns currently ranks 25th in scoring, 5th in rebounding, 17th in field goal percentage, 23rd in three-point accuracy, 8th in blocks and 16th in minutes.

Towns has scored 30+ points four times this season, including a season-best 33 vs. Oklahoma City on Oct. 27. He set his career high in rebounds earlier this season by grabbing 23 Jan. 5 at Boston, part of the fourth career 20-point/20-rebound performance of his career. Towns paced the Wolves in scoring, rebounding and assists when he put up 23 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists Jan. 12 vs. New York, narrowly missing out on the second triple-double of his career. Towns netted 30 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and five blocks Dec. 14 vs. Sacramento, joining Kevin Garnett as the only Wolves players to collect 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 5+ blocks in a single game.

Karl-Anthony Towns Named NBA Western Conference POTW

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The NBA today named Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns as the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, Nov. 13 through Sunday, Nov. 19. This is the third time in his career that Towns has won the weekly award (April 11, 2016; March 13, 2017), first this season.

Towns posted averages of 20.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in leading Minnesota to a 3-1 week, which included a three-game winning streak that featured wins at Utah, vs. San Antonio and at Dallas. Towns shot 55.4% (31-of-56) from the floor, including 9-of-16 from three-point range, during the four-game stretch.

Towns began his week by totaling 24 points and 13 rebounds in Minnesota’s 109-98 win over Utah on Nov. 13, an outing that included a career-best 4-of-6 mark from three-point range. Towns followed up that performance two nights later with a 26-point, 16-rebound game in the Wolves 98-86 win over San Antonio, a victory that snapped a 12-game winless streak against the Spurs. Towns then registered his third double-double in as many games with 15 points and 11 rebounds as Minnesota came back from a 14-point deficit to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 111-87. Towns capped his week with a 16-point, 9-rebound performance last night as the Wolves fell to the Detroit Pistons 100-97.

In 16 contests this season Towns is averaging 20.8 points and 11.4 rebounds while shooting 53.8% from the field, including 37.9% from deep He has recorded 12 double-doubles, eight of which are 20-point/10-rebound performances.  

Timberwolves Announce 2017-18 Opening Night Roster

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team’s 2017-18 Opening Night roster. The Wolves finalized their roster on Saturday, October 14 by waiving Amile Jefferson, Melo Trimble and Shawne Williams.

The Wolves open their 29th season of basketball on Wednesday, October 18 at the San Antonio Spurs at 8:30 pm CT. Opening night will be broadcast on ESPN, Fox Sports North and the radio home of the Wolves, 830 WCCO. The team’s home opener is Friday, October 20 vs. the Utah Jazz.

Minnesota’s full 2017-18 Opening Night roster is below:

NO	PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	BIRTHDATE	PRIOR TO NBA/FROM	YRS
45	Cole Aldrich	C	6-11	250	10/31/88	Kansas/USA	7
8	Nemanja Bjelica	F	6-10	225	05/09/88	Fenerbahce Ulker/Serbia	2
30	Aaron Brooks	G	6-0	161	01/14/85	Oregon/USA	9
3	Anthony Brown*	F	6-7	210	10/10/92	Stanford/USA	2
23	Jimmy Butler	G/F	6-7	231	09/14/89	Marquette/USA	6
11	Jamal Crawford	G	6-5	195	03/20/80	Michigan/USA	17
5	Gorgui Dieng	C	6-11	240	01/18/90	Louisville/Sénégal	4
13	Marcus Georges-Hunt	G	6-5	215	03/28/94	Georgia Tech/USA	1
67	Taj Gibson	F	6-9	236	06/24/85	USC/USA	8
1	Tyus Jones	G	6-2	195	05/10/96	Duke/USA	2
15	Shabazz Muhammad	F	6-6	223	11/13/92	UCLA/USA	4
24	Justin Patton	C	7-0	230	06/14/97	Creighton/USA	R
0	Jeff Teague	G	6-2	186	06/10/88	Wake Forest/USA	8
32	Karl-Anthony Towns	F/C	7-0	244	11/15/95	Kentucky/USA	2
22	Andrew Wiggins	F	6-8	199	02/23/95	Kansas/Canada	3

* Two-way contract

HEAD COACH:	Tom Thibodeau (Salem State)
ASSISTANT COACHES:	Rick Brunson (Temple)
	Andy Greer (SUNY-Brockport)
	Ed Pinckney (Villanova)
	Ryan Saunders (Minnesota)
HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER:	Gregg Farnam (St. Cloud State)

Timberwolves Secure No. 7 Pick in 2017 NBA Draft

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves received the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft at tonight's NBA Draft Lottery. Wolves forward Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 overall pick in 2014 and the 2014-15 KIA NBA Rookie of the Year, represented Minnesota at tonight's Draft Lottery held at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. The 2017 NBA Draft will be held on June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and broadcast by ESPN.

Originally slated to draft in the sixth position, the Timberwolves entered tonight's NBA Draft Lottery with a 33.09 percent chance of falling to seventh, making it statistically the second most likely result. The Wolves came into tonight with an 18.31 percent chance at landing a top-three pick, a 43.95 percent chance of remaining in their pre-lottery sixth slot and a 37.74 percent chance of moving back. Minnesota will select seventh for the third time in franchise history, previously selecting Luc Longley in 1991 and Corey Brewer in 2007. 

The seventh pick in the NBA Draft has produced a number of star players over the years, including Stephen Curry, Richard Hamilton, Kevin Johnson, Chris Mullin and Alvin Robertson. Hall of Famer John Havlicek was chosen seventh overall in 1962.

The Wolves do not have a selection in the second round of this year’s draft.