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    A Quick Remark Becomes a Region’s Rallying Cry

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    Minnesota Timberwolves fans have picked up on a phrase uttered by their star, and are hardly put off by its mild vulgarity.Dearest Times readers:The following article contains a three-letter word beginning with an A that is considered vulgar. We would avoid the term, but it doesn’t seem possible. Profoundest apologies in advance.OK, deep breath:“Bring ya ass.”In the last day or so, basketball fans and the people of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in general have been saying it. That includes the city’s basketball star, who launched it, the local tourism council, and many fans gleeful about a great victory.It started with the win: In a do-or-die Game 7, the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied from 20 points down to defeat the defending champion Denver Nuggets, 98-90.Afterward, the winning team’s star, Anthony Edwards, was interviewed by the TV commentator and former N.B.A. great Charles Barkley.“I have not been to Minnesota in maybe 20 years,” Barkley said. Edwards interrupted him: “Bring your —” and so on.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Timberwolves Pushing Toward the NBA Playoffs

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      Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards have helped Minnesota improve over the last year, but the play-in tournament could add a fresh hurdle to their playoff bid.Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns played coy when a reporter asked if he had learned something about how to win tight, important games during his team’s 125-116 loss to the league-leading Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.“For sure, for sure,” Towns said, before pausing as if thinking about whether to reveal what exactly he’d learned.He thought better of it.“For sure,” he said, “there’s definitely something I realized.” He added, “I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”Towns is an unusually forthcoming interviewee for an N.B.A. star, but these days he has to make a calculation he’s rarely had to consider before: Whatever he reveals about his process could wind up offering an advantage to a playoff opponent.After nearly two decades of dwelling in the bottom half of the N.B.A.’s Western Conference, the Timberwolves (42-32) are establishing themselves as energetic, young newcomers who might have some staying power as a playoff contender. That is, if they can avoid the traps of the league’s play-in tournament.“We know we’re in this stretch where we’re playing all these top teams,” Timberwolves Coach Chris Finch said. “We said from the beginning when we started, this is what we wanted. We’re learning about ourselves. We’re learning what we need to do at this time of year to play against these teams.”With eight games remaining in the season, Minnesota has more wins than in all but one of the previous 16 seasons (2017-18). Two of those seasons were shorter than the standard 82 games: The Timberwolves played just 64 games in 2019-20 because of the pandemic, and 66 in 2011-12 because of a labor lockout. Even so, their winning percentage this year will be better than those shortened seasons even if they lose the last eight games.That 2017-18 season, with Jimmy Butler leading the way to a 47-35 record, was also the only one in the past 17 when the Timberwolves made the playoffs.Their postseason futility often earned them favorable draft positioning, including the No. 1 overall pick twice — in 2015, when they drafted Towns, and in 2020, when they drafted Anthony Edwards.Edwards has brought energy with his play and personality, averaging 21 points per game in his second N.B.A. season and thrilling both teammates and fans with his buoyancy, particularly before injuring his knee in January.Towns has embraced his leadership role. He’s been particularly effective in March, starting the month with a 39-point effort against the Golden State Warriors, and scoring 60 points last week against the San Antonio Spurs.The Timberwolves have relied on the veteran guard Patrick Beverley for his defense and the advice he can offer as someone with extensive playoff experience. Beverley has appeared in seven postseasons, including last year, when he was with a Clippers team that reached the Western Conference Finals. Minnesota’s growth from last season is apparent, but it has also progressed since earlier this season. Minnesota lost seven of its first 10 games and had a season-worst six-game losing streak during that span.But now, in March, the Timberwolves are 9-3 and have compiled winning streaks of four and six games since the All-Star break in February. They’ve hovered close to capturing at least the sixth-best record in the Western Conference, which is now the only way to ensure a playoff berth.In the past, the league would simply include the top eight seeds in each conference in the playoffs. But last season, the N.B.A. introduced a play-in tournament for the bottom of its playoff bracket. In it, the teams with the seventh- through 10th-best records in each conference play in a mini tournament for the final two playoff spots.The league liked the change so much it kept it this year, and it has created an uncommon level of late-season intrigue in both conferences. The Lakers, who have toggled between ninth and 10th place in the West, now have a cushion that gives them a second life even if they finish outside the top eight. For the Timberwolves, though, the play-in form has added a hurdle that didn’t exist through most of their playoff drought.Anthony Edwards is averaging 21 points in his second season. His energy has been critical to Minnesota’s success this year.Andy Clayton-King/Associated PressAs the standings sit now, the Timberwolves are the seventh seed and would host the eighth-seeded Clippers in their first play-in game. If Minnesota won, it would become the seventh seed in the playoffs. If it lost, it would play the winner of a game between the ninth and 10th seeds for the right to be the eighth seed in the playoffs.Last season, the format allowed the Memphis Grizzlies to sneak into the playoffs with play-in wins over San Antonio and Golden State, despite finishing the regular season with the ninth-best record in the West.Such a fate is perhaps a rude reward for a Timberwolves team that has taken such strides this season.Against the Suns on Wednesday, the Timberwolves saw what a team looks like when it has experience with closing and imposing its will. The Timberwolves led by 15 points in the third quarter, but were outscored by 22 in the second half. Technical and flagrant fouls called against Minnesota were part of the story, but so was Phoenix’s poise in its comeback effort.With a six-game lead over the eighth-seeded Clippers, the Timberwolves are unlikely to finish lower than seventh, but they trail the sixth-seeded Nuggets by just a game and a half.Capturing that sixth seed and being safely out of the play-in tournament will be challenging given the difficult schedule that remains. The Timberwolves have now lost consecutive games to the Mavericks and Suns. They’ll face Dallas again on Friday, then the Boston Celtics, who have gone 19-3 since the beginning of February. They’ll also face Chicago, Toronto and Denver — all in the top seven in their conferences — before the end of the season.Denver would have been in contention for the Western Conference title this season if not for injuries, particularly the one to point guard Jamal Murray. In their path, Finch, who was on the Nuggets staff during the 2016-17 season, sees a point of comparison for the Wolves about what can be required to become a fixture in the postseason picture.“It just takes time,” Finch said. “Especially when you have a young team, a young core.” More

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      Who Are The NBA's Early Breakout Stars of 2021-22 Season?

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      Three players in particular have given hope to their antsy fans, despite injuries, Covid-related absences and the hiccups of being new to the league.Whether it’s because of injuries, the N.B.A.’s Covid-19 health and safety protocols or a general yearly churn, the league has seen an unexpectedly rapid ascension of young stars this season. Some of this is unique to this year: With several top stars missing in action, there is more room in the spotlight for new talents.Tyler Herro, the third-year Miami Heat guard, is helping to keep the team afloat in the face of injuries to its top players. Cole Anthony, the second-year guard for the Orlando Magic, has developed into a strong all-around player with a workable jump shot. And the 23-year-old center Jarrett Allen is scoring almost 17 points a game for the Cleveland Cavaliers on better than 70 percent shooting. Allen has a strong chance to make his first All-Star game this season.The strong play from three players in particular has given hope to their teams’ beleaguered fans: Evan Mobley, the lanky Cavaliers rookie, and Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves swingman in his second year. And in the case of the second-year Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, he thrived during the injury absence of the team’s top player, Ja Morant, which could have sent Memphis into a tailspin.All three succeed in different ways — Mobley with his height and agility; Edwards with his slashing and dunking; Bane with his shooting prowess. But all of them are helping their teams be competitive and they’re — if nothing else — fun to watch.None of the three are likely to make the All-Star team this season, but making future ones is certainly within reach.Here’s what makes them three of the season’s early breakout stars.Evan Mobley, Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley is drawing comparisons to the Lakers’ big man Anthony Davis in his rookie season.Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports, via Jerome Miron-Usa Today SportsAs the Cleveland Cavaliers have pulled themselves out of the league’s cellar, one of the most exciting developments for the franchise’s future has been the emergence of the rookie forward Evan Mobley.With a body type and skill set that have drawn comparisons to a young Anthony Davis, Mobley is an early contender for the Rookie of the Year Award. He was named the season’s inaugural rookie of the month, which covers October and November. During that span, Mobley’s 30 blocks were twice that of the next best rookie, Toronto’s Scottie Barnes.More important, his play is helping his team win. The Cavaliers were the only team that played a rookie more than 400 minutes through November to also have a winning record.Heading into Christmas, Mobley led all rookies in blocks per game with 1.8 and was tied with Barnes for most rookie rebounds per game. His defensive rating is among the top 10 of players who have played at least 25 games this season.The 6-foot-11 center from Temecula, Calif., was expected to shine in the N.B.A. He was a star in high school and spent one season at the University of Southern California, where he was named the Pac-12’s player of the year, defensive player of the year and freshman of the year.But rookies don’t always enter the N.B.A. quite this polished.Anthony Edwards, Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has become a more vocal leader in his second season.David Berding/Getty ImagesAnthony Edwards made his mark as a high-flying slasher during his rookie season with the Minnesota Timberwolves last year. He was a delight to watch, particularly because of his elite dunking. But there were some questions about his offensive efficiency as he entered his second year in the league. He shot only 32.9 percent from 3 last season and 41.7 percent overall. The N.B.A. has a long and storied list of inefficient scorers who had inflated stats, because they were on bad teams that needed someone to put the ball in the hoop.But this season, Edwards is shooting a bit better, including from 3, and keeping the Timberwolves competitive. This month, Edwards hit 10 3-pointers in a game against the Denver Nuggets. He still has work to do to become a top scorer, but at 20 years old, he’s already one of the best young players in the league. He’s also diversified his game otherwise, improving his rebounding and passing, allowing him to contribute in games even when his shot isn’t falling. If Minnesota makes the playoffs, Edwards’s leap will be one of the biggest reasons.He’s also established himself as a leader unafraid to respectfully call out teammates, like Karl-Anthony Towns, or not-so-respectfully do so to stars on other teams, like Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. He’s a keeper for Minnesota and has an outside shot at making the All-Star team this year, as well as, you know, an actual outside shot.Desmond Bane, Memphis GrizzliesMemphis guard Desmond Bane helped the Grizzlies stay afloat when their best player, Ja Morant, went down with an injury.John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports, via John E. Sokolowski-Usa Today SportsAt the 2020 N.B.A. draft, Desmond Bane was little more than an afterthought — to nearly everyone, that is, except the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded a pair of second-round picks to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team deal so that they could move up in the order and select Bane with the final pick of the first round.Before the draft pundits had questions about Bane, a 6-foot-5 guard who had spent a full four seasons at Texas Christian University, a red flag in an era when most top prospects are one-and-done. Would Bane merely be a spot-up shooter in the N.B.A. or would he be able to create his own looks? And weren’t his arms a bit on the short side? Bane had heard it all.As a rookie, Bane earned a rotation spot for the Grizzlies as a dependable outside threat. Now a full-time starter in his second season, he is the team’s third-leading scorer behind Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks, and he ranks among the league leaders in 3-point shooting (41.3 percent going into Christmas). His value was especially apparent when Morant went down with a knee injury at the end of November. The Grizzlies won 10 of 12 games without him, and Bane was a steadying force — and occasionally spectacular. He had a career-high 29 points in a win against the Dallas Mavericks.Morant has since returned, and the Grizzlies are in the thick of the playoff chase as one of the Western Conference’s most surprising young teams. More

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      Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball Named N.B.A.’s Rookie of the Year

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      Ball, 19, made the Hornets one of the most exciting teams to watch during the regular season.LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets won the N.B.A.’s Rookie of the Year Award on Wednesday, joining Larry Johnson and Emeka Okafor as players in the franchise’s history to receive the honor.Ball, who before this season bypassed college ball to play professionally in Australia and had a stint in Lithuania while still in high school, received 84 of 99 first-place votes to beat out Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards despite Edwards’s second-half surge. Tyrese Haliburton of the Sacramento Kings finished third.Selected with the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft, Ball moved into Charlotte’s starting lineup in the 21st game of the season and, in tandem with the former All-Star Gordon Hayward and guard Terry Rozier, unexpectedly led the Hornets into contention for a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference. That push was derailed by a fractured right wrist Ball sustained on March 20 that forced him to miss 21 games, and Hayward was knocked out of the lineup on April 2 by a sprained right foot that sidelined him for the rest of the season.Ball, who turns 20 in August, averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. He also shot a respectable 43.6 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range, after worrisome showings in both categories in the preseason (26.2 percent shooting overall and 27.3 percent on 3s in four games) amplified skepticism about his shooting ability as he made the transition to the N.B.A.Most of all, Ball has come to be known for his court vision and passing, especially as he regularly connected with Miles Bridges for alley oops and long-range assists.The Hornets’ chance to draft Ball arose only because they fortuitously moved up to No. 3 in the draft lottery from their No. 8 projection. After Charlotte landed a top-three pick, word began to spread in league circles that Michael Jordan, the Hornets’ majority owner, was a Ball fan.“He’s got a long way to go, but he’s got a chance to be a heck of a player,” Mitch Kupchak, Charlotte’s president of basketball operations, said of Ball in a phone interview with The New York Times recently.Ball was a runaway favorite to win the award before the wrist injury, which the Hornets initially feared would be season-ending. He returned to play in Charlotte’s final 10 regular-season games but, with Hayward still sidelined, could not prevent Charlotte’s lopsided loss at Indiana in a playoff play-in game after the Hornets had finished with the East’s 10th best record.Edwards, who also turns 20 in August, quickly gained a reputation for highlight-reel dunks after the Timberwolves selected him with last year’s No. 1 overall pick. He made the awards race closer than anticipated with his strong play while Ball was injured. Edwards averaged 23.8 points per game and shot 45.4 percent from the field during the season’s second half, helping Minnesota go 16-20 after a treacherous 7-29 start.Ball’s comeback enabled him to play in 71 percent of Charlotte’s games. Had he not made it back from injury, Ball would have appeared in only 57 percent of Charlotte’s games — a lower percentage than anyone who had gone on to be named rookie of the year. Patrick Ewing’s 60 percent (50 out of 82 games) for the Knicks in the 1985-86 season stands as the lowest.Johnson won rookie of the year honors for the Hornets in 1992, and Okafor won in 2005 when the franchise was known as the Bobcats. Recent winners of the award include Ja Morant (2020) of the Memphis Grizzlies, Luka Doncic (2019) of the Dallas Mavericks and Ben Simmons (2018) of the Philadelphia 76ers.Ball and his brother Lonzo Ball, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017 and now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, are the first brothers in N.B.A. history to both be selected among the top three picks. More