MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves best days came with Flip Saunders on the sideline.
Kyle Lowry USA Jersey . Now that the organization is shrouded in uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of star
forward Kevin Love, Saunders is returning to the bench to try revive a franchise
that hasnt made the playoffs in 10 years. With the teams coaching search
complicated by Loves status, the Timberwolves decided the best course of action
was to have Saunders, who was hired last season as president of basketball
operations, step in for a second stint as coach until the situation stabilized,
Saunders said in a text message Thursday. The official announcement will come at
a news conference on Friday afternoon. Saunders previously coached the
Timberwolves from 1995-2005. He won 411 games in 10 1/2 seasons in Minnesota and
guided the Wolves to the only eight playoff appearances in franchise history,
including the Western Conference finals in 2004. He has a career record of
638-526 in 16 seasons as an NBA head coach, a career that also includes stops in
Detroit, where he coached the Pistons to three straight Eastern Conference
finals, and Washington. Saunders is joining a short list in the NBA of coaches
who also have final-say executive authority, one that includes newly hired Stan
Van Gundy in Detroit, Doc Rivers with the Los Angeles Clippers and, to a certain
extent, Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. Saunders will continue to work closely
with GM Milt Newton in the front office while handling coaching duties. When
Rick Adelman retired at the end of the regular season, he did so in part to try
to help the Timberwolves move forward with a plan to show Love, a three-time
All-Star who can opt out of his contract next summer, that there was a long-term
plan in place for success. But Loves tenuous situation didnt help the search
process, with trade rumours serving as a caution sign for several high-profile
candidates. Saunders was in the market for a coach with extensive head coaching
experience, either in the NBA or at a major college program, one that could
command the respect of a young locker room and also handle the media scrutiny
that comes with the questions surrounding Love. Names like Tom Izzo, Billy
Donovan and Fred Hoiberg came and went without any traction. The Wolves hosted
Memphis coach Dave Joerger for an interview two weekends ago, but Grizzlies
owner Robert Pera sweetened his contract to keep him around. Sam Mitchell,
Lionel Hollins, Scott Skiles and several others received consideration as well.
Unable to find what they felt was the right fit for a delicate job, Saunders and
owner Glen Taylor met this week to reassess the situation, according to two
people with knowledge of the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity
because the team was not publicly discussing the search process. Taylor said
when he brought Saunders back as team president that he would not put him back
on the bench. He fired Saunders as coach once before, in 2005 when
Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell, unhappy with their contracts, submarined the
follow-up to the teams stirring run to the Western Conference finals. Saunders
was also hopeful that he could find someone other than himself to take over the
team. But with Loves status preventing them from pursuing the coaches they felt
would fit best, the two decided that Saunders should take over for at least this
season if not longer. The Timberwolves have not given up on convincing Love to
play out this season in Minnesota and re-sign next summer to a contract that can
pay him and extra year and about $26.5 million more than any other team. It was
not immediately clear what the appointment of Saunders would do for Loves
desires to stay or go. The Timberwolves planned to meet with Love to see where
he stands now that the head coaching vacancy has been filled. Love has yet to
make the playoffs in his six seasons in the league and is believed to be growing
impatient with the Wolves, who finished 40-42 and in 10th place in the West this
year. Love created a stir when he spent last weekend in Boston, where the
Celtics are rumoured to be making a run at trading for the 25-year-old power
forward before the June 26 draft. Just how long Saunders will coach remains to
be seen. There is the possibility that Saunders will add assistants to his staff
who could be groomed to eventually take over. The Wolves were expected to reach
out to Mitchell, a former Timberwolves player and Raptors head coach, and David
Blatt, who has spearheaded Russias return to Olympic relevance and coaches in
Israel, to gauge their interest in joining his staff.
Chris Paul USA Jersey . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The
car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel
empty! No emotions .
Tracy McGrady USA Jersey . The incident occurred at 6:28 of the first period in Anaheims 6-3 home win over Dallas on
Sunday. Garbutt left the penalty box and skated at Penner before leaving his
skates to deliver a check.Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Devin Booker scored
19 points and top-ranked Kentucky put on a defensive clinic in an 83-44
obliteration of UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic. The Wildcats opened the game on
a 24-0 run and allowed just three field goals on 37 shots from the Bruins in the
first half en route to building a startling 41-7 lead at the break. The seven
points were the lowest total in a half in UCLAs storied history and the fewest
Kentucky has permitted in a period since 1943. UCLA finished a miserable 25.4
percent from the field and 1-of-4 from the foul line, committed 15 turnovers and
had 13 shots rejected by the Wildcats suffocating defense. Aaron Harrison
chipped in 15 points and Andrew Harrison dished out eight assists to help
Kentucky (12-0) dominate from start-to-finish. Isaac Hamilton had 14 points and
Bryce Alford finished with 13 for UCLA (8-4), though neither scored during the
Bruins humiliating opening half. Final Score: (4) Louisville 76, Western
Kentucky 67 Bowling Green, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Terry Rozier had 32 points
and three steals in the fourth-ranked Louisville Cardinals 76-67 victory over
the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Saturday. The game almost got ugly with 38.7
seconds left before the half. After a post-rebound scrum, Louisville forward
Montrezl Harrell tried to throw a punch at Western Kentucky guard Avery
Patterson. Shortly after, head coaches Rick Pitino and Ray Harper were both
given technicals for jawing with each other. Harrell, who had 14 points and six
rebounds, was ejected from the game. He will be suspended for Tuesdays game
against Cal State-Northridge. Chris Jones added 10 points for the Cardinals
(10-0), who survived their first true road test of the 2014-15 campaign. T.J.
Price ended with 24 points and seven rebounds for the Hilltoppers (5-5), who had
a two-game winning streak snapped. DJ Clayton tallied 14 points. Final Score:
(7) Villanova 82, Syracuse 77 (OT) Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) -
Villanova erased a five-point deficit over the final 17 seconds of regulation
and the seventh-ranked Wildcats eventually prevailed, 82-77, in overtime over
Syracuse at Wells Fargo Center. With 11 seconds left in the second half, Josh
Hart hit a 3-pointer to bring Villanova (11-0) within 69-67 and after stealing
the inbounds pass the following possession, Jayvaughn Pinkstons layup tied the
game with four seconds left. Pinkston led all scorers with 25 points and 10
rebounds and Darrun Hilliard added 23 points. Harts 21-point game was a career
high. Once leading by as many as 15 points, the Orange (6-4) could not put the
hosts away. Rakeem Christmas and Michael Gbinije each paced Syracuse with 18
points before fouling out in overtime. Final Score: (8) Gonzaga 63, Cal Poly 50
Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Przemek Karnowski had 16 points and eight
rebounds as No. 8 Gonzaga defeated Cal Poly 63-50 on Saturday night. Kevin
Pangos netted 16 points for the Bulldogs (11-1), who have won four straight
since their lone loss at Arizona on Dec. 6. David Nwaba led the Mustangs (5-5)
with 21 points. Final Score: (9) Texas 78, Long Beach State 68 Austin, TX
(SportsNetwork.com) - Javan Felix posted 17 points to lead No. 9 Texas to a
78-68 win over Long Beach State on Saturday. Jonathan Holmes scored 14 points,
Cameron Ridley gave 13 points and six rebounds and Connor Lammert had 10 points
and 12 boards for the Longhorns (10-1), who have won their past three. Demarcus
Holland had 10 points, seven boards and four assists. Mike Caffey scored 23
points for the 49ers (5-7), who have lost three straight. Final Score: (10)
Kansas 96, Lafayette 69 Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Kelly Oubre Jr. gave
23 points and 10 rebounds as No. 10 Kansas crushed Lafayette, 96-69, on
Saturday. Frank Mason III had 14 points and nine assists and Wayne Selden Jr.
added 12 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (9-1), who have won eight
straight since a loss to Kentucky on Nov. 18. Seth Hinrichs had 15 points, seven
rebounds and five assists for the Leopards (7-3), who had a four-game winning
streak stopped. Dan Trist gave 12 points in the loss. Final Score: (24) North
Carolina 82, (12) Ohio State 74 Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Brice Johnson
had 18 points and nine rebounds in the 24th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
82-74 victory over the 12th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at the United Center.
Marcus Paige added 16 points for the Tar Heels (8-3), who have won two in a row
since a loss at top- ranked Kentucky on Dec. 13. Justin Jackson tallied 11
points. Marc Loving ended with 19 points for the Buckeyes (9-2), who had a
four-game winning streak snapped. Sam Thompson contributed 17 points. Final
Score: (13) Iowa State 83, Drake 54 Des Moines, IA (SportsNetwork.com) - Naz
Long scored 13 points to lead a balanced effort for No. 13 Iowa State in an
83-54 win over Drake on Saturday. Monte Morris netted 12 points, while Dustin
Hogue and Matt Thomas each chipped in with 10 points for the Cyclones (9-1), who
have won six straight since their lone loss of the season, a 72-63 decision
against Maryland on Nov. 25. Iowa State shot 54 percent from the floor,
incluuding 52 percent from beyond the arc in the blowout win.
DeMarcus Cousins USA Jersey. Jacob Enevold Jensen and Trevor Berkeley each scored 10 points to lead the Bulldogs (2-9).
Final Score: (14) Utah 59, UNLV 46 Las Vegas, NV (SportsNetwork.com) - Delon
Wright scored 17 points and No. 14 Utah pulled away in the second half for a
59-46 win over UNLV at the MGM Grand on Saturday night. Brandon Taylor added 16
points for the Utes (8-2), who rebounded from a 63-60 loss to No. 10 Kansas last
Saturday. They snapped a three-game losing streak to UNLV and beat the Runnin
Rebels for just the second time in their last 10 meetings in Las Vegas. Rashad
Vaughn scored 16 points to lead UNLV (7-3), which had a three-game winning
streak snapped. Final Score: (16) Washington 69, (15) Oklahoma 67 Las Vegas, NV
(SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Anderson and Robert Upshaw scored 11 points apiece,
helping No. 16 Washington beat 15th-ranked Oklahoma 69-67 Saturday night at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Huskies (10-0) built a 20- point lead in the first
half, but had to hold on down the stretch to continue the programs best start
since going 11-0 to begin 2005-06. Jernard Jarreau paced Washington with 12
points and grabbed six rebounds. Isaiah Cousins and Buddy Hield both scored 17
points for Oklahoma (7-3), which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Ryan
Spangler posted a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds in defeat. Final
Score: (19) San Diego State 70, Ball State 57 San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com)
- Winston Shepard finished with 15 points and five assists to lift No. 19 San
Diego State to a 70-57 victory over Ball State on Saturday. JJ OBrien scored 13
points on 6-of-9 shooting and added six rebounds and three assists, while Skylar
Spencer had 10 points and six boards for the Aztecs (8-3), who bounced back from
a 71-62 double-overtime loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday. Jeremie Tyler netted a
game-high 17 points and Matt Kamieniecki supplied 15 points and 10 rebounds for
the Cardinals (3-6), who dropped their third straight game. Final Score: (21)
Notre Dame 94, Purdue 63 Indianapolis, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - Pat Connaughton
recorded a double- double of 19 points and 14 rebounds and No. 21 Notre Dame
bested Purdue, 94- 63, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Saturdays Crossroads Classic
matchup proved the Irish (11-1) have bragging rights in the Hoosier State, what
with seven straight victories following their lone loss against Providence on
Nov. 23. All five Notre Dame starters scored in double figures and Austin Torres
donated 11 points off the bench for the victors. Demetrius Jackson led the way
with 22 points, Steve Vasturia chipped in with 11, and Jerian Grant and Zach
Auguste each added 10 in the rout. Jon Octeus, Bryson Scott and A.J. Hammons all
scored 11 points as the Boilermakers (8-4) suffered their second straight loss.
Final Score: (22) West Virginia 83, North Carolina State 69 New York, NY
(SportsNetwork.com) - Juwan Staten scored 24 points and Devin Williams added 16,
leading 22nd-ranked West Virginia to an 83-69 win over North Carolina State in
the Gotham Classic on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Jaysean Paige
contributed 11 points off the bench before fouling out late in the contest for
the Mountaineers (10-1), who have won three straight since their lone loss of
the season, a 74-73 setback to LSU on Dec. 4. Trevor Lacey tried to keep North
Carolina State close with 24 points, while Anthony Barber added 16 in defeat.
The Wolfpack (9-3) committed 23 turnovers and fell to 3-3 after opening with six
straight wins. Final Score: Indiana 82, (23) Butler 73 Indianapolis, IN
(SportsNetwork.com) - Yogi Ferrell scored all 20 of his points in the second
half, helping Indiana gain some long-awaited revenge on Butler with an 82-73
victory over the 23rd-ranked Bulldogs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Troy Williams
tied a career high with 22 points and pulled down a personal-best 11 rebounds to
aid Indianas cause in the first meeting between the in-state rivals since Butler
stunned the then top-ranked Hoosiers in overtime in Indianapolis during December
of 2012. The outcome also was a special one for Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean,
who garnered his 300th career win. Butler (8-3) received 23 points from Kellen
Dunham and 14 out of Andrew Chrabascz, but struggled offensively for a second
straight game. Final Score: Texas Southern 71, (25) Michigan State 64 (OT) East
Lansing, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Texas Southern did not take its first lead of
the game until there was only 1:26 remaining in regulation, but the Tigers were
able to force overtime and pull off a 71-64 upset win over No. 25 Michigan State
on Saturday. Jason Carters 3-pointer capped a 7-0 Texas Southern run to give it
a 53-52 lead, and his bucket the next possession helped push the game to
overtime. Texas Southern (2-8) hit 12 free throws in the extra session to record
its second win of the season. Chris Thomas led all scorers with 22 points for
the Tigers, while Malcolm Riley added 20 off the bench. The Spartans (8-4) got
17 points and 10 rebounds from Matt Costello, and Denzel Valentine chipped in
15. Michigan State was just 4-of-21 from long distance.
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