The Timberwolves will never lose again

Has any NBA team become more likable, loose, and confidence-inducing faster after a coaching change than the Minnesota Timberwolves just did?

The Wolves beat the Thunder on Tuesday in their first game since 32-year-old Ryan Saunders replaced Tom Thibodeau as head coach. Andrew Wiggins had 40 points and played well down the stretch, his best game of the season. Saunders is the son of former Wolves coach Flip, who tragically died in October 2015 while on medical leave from the team. To honor his father, Saunders ran Flip’s favorite play — 5-52 Twist — to open the game.

To show how much they appreciate the new coach, the Wolves (led by Karl-Anthony Towns, Taj Gibson and Wiggins) mobbed Saunders in the locker room, drenched him with water, and gave him the game ball. Have the Wolves shown this much joy like ... ever?

The Wolves aren’t totally likable (Derrick Rose is out a few days with an injury, but looms large in any discussions of this team and joy) but it’s really hard not to root for Saunders’ success and for Towns and Wiggins to absolutely blossom in the wake of Thibodeau’s departure. And it’s worth noting the Wolves are now in a three-way tie for ninth place in the West, two games out of the No. 8 seed. The playoffs are within range.

(Best wishes to Nerlens Noel, who suffered a terrifying fall in this game and was rushed to a local hospital. Scary, scary, scary.)

Pacers 123, Cavaliers 115
Wizards 115, Sixers 132
Nuggets 103, Heat 99
Hawks 101, Raptors 104
Timberwolves 119, Thunder 117
Kings 111, Suns 115
Knicks 95, Warriors 122
Hornets 109, Clippers 128

All times Eastern. Games on League Pass unless otherwise noted.

Pacers at Celtics, 7
Sixers at Wizards, 7
Hawks at Nets, 7:30
Bucks at Rockets, 8, ESPN
Spurs at Grizzlies, 8
Cavaliers at Pelicans, 8
Suns at Mavericks, 8:30
Magic at Jazz, 9
Bulls at Blazers, 10, Great Video Game
Pistons at Lakers, 10:30, ESPN

Paul Flannery on how the Wolves can’t afford any more missteps in the Karl-Anthony Towns era.

The good, bad, and ugly of Minnesota’s Tom Thibodeau era.

I wrote about the Cavaliers’ petty (and successful) plan to screw the Warriors out of their restricted free agency rights on Patrick McCaw. Marc Stein reports that the NBA is investigating whether the Cavaliers and McCaw’s agent circumvented the salary cap, which has huge penalties. So, uh, good luck Dan Gilbert.

Kevin Arnovitz on the state of Blake Griffin.

DeMarcus Cousins is looking to debut for the Warriors on Jan. 18 or 21.

Something I’ve been harping on this season that Bruno Passos captures well: the Spurs rely on midrange but have great midrange scorers.

Meet the Sixers’ new VP of player development, Annelie Schmittel. She becomes one of the NBA’s highest ranking basketball executives who is a woman.

Beyond Anthony Davis, Kevin O’Connor lists future free agents NBA teams are keeping tabs on.

Seerat Sohi on how the Nuggets built an unlikely contender.

The case for J.J. Redick as an NBA All-Star.

Another way DeMar DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard are different: how they deal with the media.

The depressing end to Chandler Parsons’ sad Grizzlies career.

Be excellent to each other.