The Minnesota Timberwolves are top of the Western Conference but know they will have to "maintain that edge" as they return to action following the NBA All-Star break.

Minnesota have not been beyond the first round of the playoffs in 20 years, yet they are in position to earn the number one seed through 55 games, boasting a 39-16 record and a 1.5-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The All-Star break has been a busy one for the T-Wolves, with Chris Finch coaching the West outfit, which included Anthony Edwards and team-mate Karl Anthony Towns, who scored 50 points.

The team have also agreed a two-year contract extension with guard Mike Conley Jr., according to reports. He had been set for free agency at the end of the season.

Finch is now hoping he will find a focused team in Minnesota as they seek to build on a superb start to the year.

"We've just got to try to pick up where we left off," he said. "We know the intensity in these games are going to ramp up more and more.

"We've got to make sure that we maintain that edge. We've done a good job of developing a good offensive rhythm in the past few weeks, so we've got to maintain that.

"Hold serve at home; we've got a lot of home games coming up here out of the break. There's lots of things we can do to keep furthering ourselves."

There was an unfamiliar feeling for Finch in the All-Star Game, seeing his team handily beaten by the East in an encounter that drew criticism for its lack of competitive play.

The format may no longer be widely popular, but Finch certainly enjoyed the rare opportunity to coach players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

"Looking around the locker room, there's probably 12 first-ballot Hall of Famers in there," he said. "It's something I'll remember forever."

The Timberwolves return against the Milwaukee Bucks at Target Center on Friday.

The Brooklyn Nets fired head coach Jacque Vaugn on Monday, five days after the team suffered a 50-point loss to the Boston Celtics in its final game before the All-Star break.

Brooklyn is 21-33 and in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, but the club is only 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for a spot in the Play-In Tournament.

The Nets said “an interim head coach will be named in the near future.”

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

Vaughn was promoted to head coach early last season following the dismissal of Steve Nash after Brooklyn opened with five losses in seven games.

The Nets immediately started playing better, which led to a contract extension for Vaughn last February.

The Nets posted a 43-32 record under Vaughn last season as they claimed the No. 6 seed in the East before getting swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.

Brooklyn got off to a 13-10 start this season but went on to drop 23 of 31 games heading into break, punctuated by the second-worst loss in franchise history on Wednesday.

Vaughn owns a 129-226 coaching record with the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn.

Damian Lillard was honoured to achieve a feat only previously accomplished by Michael Jordan on the NBA's All-Star weekend. 

Lillard saw off competition from the Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns and the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young to win the 3-point contest on Saturday, then he dazzled again one day later.

The Milwaukee Bucks guard was named All-Star Game MVP after putting up 39 points as the Eastern Conference All-Stars recorded a 211-186 win over their Western Conference counterparts. 

Chicago Bulls legend Jordan is the only previous player to complete such a double, having taken the 1988 dunk contest before winning the first of his three All-Star MVP trophies.

For Lillard, who was appearing in his eighth All-Star Game but his first as a starter, following in Jordan's footsteps made it all the more memorable. 

"Anytime you're mentioned in the same category as Mike, it's an honour, it's a major accomplishment, even if it's All-Star weekend," Lillard said during his post-game news conference. 

"Because if it was that simple, more people would have done it. I'm a vet in the game at this point. Why not go and try to get an MVP? I've been here enough."

However, a perceived lack of competitiveness in Sunday's All-Star Game – the highest-scoring in history – led to criticism from some quarters. 

The league's all-time leading scorer LeBron James said the All-Star Game "is something we need to figure out", with players unwilling to risk injury in the mid-season exhibition. 

Asked for his views on that debate, Lillard said: "I think it could be more competitive, 200 is a lot to be scored. It shows we didn't go out there and compete like I guess you would want us to. 

"But I think that's just what it is. Guys are talented, they make a lot of shots. We hit a lot of 3s, and that was it."

Lillard joined the Bucks in a blockbuster trader from the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the season, but his first campaign in Milwaukee has been a turbulent one. 

The Bucks fired coach Adrian Griffin last month, bringing in Doc Rivers after a short interim stint for Joe Prunty. They sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 35-21 record, but have lost five of their last seven games.

"It's been a tough year with the transition to a new team, we've had three coaches since I've been there," Lillard said.

"Anytime you have these types of experiences where you have adversity, that's the time you've got to show who you really are. 

"Keep doing what you do, keep believing, and when you do that, usually it comes back to you. You just can't fold."

LeBron James has outlined his desire to finish his storied career with the Los Angeles Lakers, despite recent reports linking him with a trade.

While James' average of 24.8 points per game this season is down on last term's 28.9, the NBA's all-time leading scorer has continued to impress while playing through a niggling ankle injury in his 21st season in the league.

He has only missed seven of Los Angeles' 56 games thus far in 2023-24, helping the team win the inaugural NBA in-season tournament in December. 

James has a $51.4million player option for 2024-25 with the Lakers, but he recently said he was undecided on whether to take up that option.

That led to speculation that he could be available, with his current team fielding calls from the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this month.

However, the 39-year-old stayed put, and speaking before his record-extending 20th appearance in the NBA's All-Star Game on Sunday, he gave his clearest indication yet that he sees his future in Los Angeles. 

"I am a Laker and I'm happy. I have been very happy being a Laker for the last six years and hopefully it stays that way," James said. 

"I don't have the answer to how long it is or which uniform I'll be in, but hopefully it is with the Lakers. It's a great organisation with so many greats, but we'll see."

Warriors forward Draymond Green reportedly lobbied team owner Joe Lacob to enquire about a blockbuster trade for James, but he says he played no part in any talks with Golden State.

"I actually heard about it when everybody else heard about it," James told TNT Sports of their interest. 

"Sometimes there's conversations that happen behind closed doors that you don't even know about, I guess until it's real or not, then they'll bring it to you. It never even got to me."

Looking further ahead, James knows the curtain will soon come down on his glittering career, but he is yet to make any decisions regarding the nature of his NBA farewell.

Asked whether he would announce his retirement in advance in order to receive a proper send-off, as opposed to quitting in the offseason, James said: "I'm 50-50, to be honest.

"I was asked this question a couple of days ago; 'Will you take the farewell tour, or will you just Tim Duncan it?'

"There's times when I feel like I owe it to my fans that have been on this journey with me for two decades, to be able to give them that moment where it's every city and they give you flowers or whatever the case may be. That seems cool.

"But on the other side, I've never been that great with accepting praise. It's a weird feeling for me. I don't know how it's going to end, but it's coming. It's coming, for sure." 

LeBron James said the All-Star game is "something we need to figure out" as NBA commissioner Adam Silver hit out at the players.

Silver had promised a competitive All-Star game after a damp squib last year.

And although Sunday's game proved to be the highest-scoring All-Star encounter in NBA history, with the East beating the West 211-186, Silver was unimpressed with the level of competitiveness on show.

Rather flatly, Silver said: "To the Eastern Conference All-Stars, you scored the most points. Well ... congratulations."

James only played in the first half of his record 20th All-Star appearance, as he manages an ankle issue.

And while seeing Silver's side of the argument, James said it is a "deeper conversation".

"I think it's something we need to figure out," said James, who scored eight points for the West.

"Obviously from a player's perspective, it's fun to get up and down. But at the end of the day, our competitive nature don't like to have free-flowing scoring like that.

"But I think the good thing that came out of tonight was none of the players were injured, and everybody came out unscathed or how they were before the game started. So it's a deeper conversation."

James' Los Angeles Lakers teammate Anthony Davis said: "Obviously the fans and the league and everybody wants to be competitive, but then you also as players think about trying not to get hurt. Obviously injuries are a part of the game, and no one wants to get hurt in the All-Star Game.

"All these guys here are very valuable to their teams. So it's some mixed emotions about it.

"You try to go out there and compete a little bit and not just be a highlight show. But at the same time, do you guys really want to see somebody going down for a dunk and somebody going to contest it and, God forbid, something happens in the All-Star Game when it could have been avoided?"

However, Anthony Edwards, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, suggested he has no interest in playing too fiercely in an exhibition match.

"For me, it's an All-Star Game, so I will never look at it as being super competitive," he said.

"It's always fun. I don't know what they can do to make it more competitive. I don't know. I think everyone looks at it [like] it's a break, so I don't think everyone wants to come here and compete."

Damian Lillard scored 39 points to earn game MVP honours as the Eastern Conference won the highest-scoring All-Star Game in NBA history with a resounding 211-186 victory over the Western Conference in Indianapolis on Sunday.

The East became the first team to surpass the 200-point mark in a defence-deficient event that also shattered the previous All-Star Game high of 374 combined points, set by the West in their 192-182 win over the East in New Orleans in 2017. The West also held the previous team high for points when they recorded 196 in the 2016 edition held in Toronto.

One night after successfully defending his title in the 3-point contest during Saturday's skills competition, Lillard teamed with Indiana Pacers home-town hero Tyrese Haliburton for a prolific display from beyond the arc. The duo combined for 21 of the East's 42 3-pointers, also an All-Star Game record for one team.

Lillard, a seven-time All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason, finished 11 of 23 from 3-point range and Halliburton went 10 for 14.

Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics chipped in 36 points and eight rebounds to help the East overcome a dominant performance from the West's Karl-Anthony Towns. The Minnesota Timberwolves forward amassed 50 points to become the fourth player to reach that mark in an All-Star Game, joining Boston's Jayson Tatum (55 in 2023), then-New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (52 in 2017) and Golden State Warriors icon Stephen Curry (50 in 2022).

LeBron James, participating in his record 20th All-Star Game, played just 14 minutes while scoring eight points.

The East never trailed after Lillard knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers in the first quarter that gave his team a 35-29 advantage, while Haliburton hit five triples in the opening period to help the East take a 53-47 lead into the second quarter.

Lillard scored 13 more points in the second quarter as the East extended the margin to 104-89 at half-time, with the 193 combined first-half points also the most in a single All-Star Game.

Towns had just 19 points through three quarters before putting up an incredible 31 while playing the entire fourth, though the game was out of hand by that point as the East took a commanding 160-136 lead into the final period.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the West's lone other player with more than 18 points, as the Oklahoma City Thunder guard finished with 31 on 12-of-16 shooting.

Adam Silver will not "anoint" any player to be the next LeBron James when he eventually retires.

Four-time MVP James is set to play in his 20th All-Star game on Sunday at the age of 39, averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists so far this season for the 30-26 Los Angeles Lakers.

Though James is still performing well, he is in the latter stages of his career and the talk over who could potentially fill his place as the league's most recognisable player has been growing.

NBA commissioner Silver, though, compared James' potential retirement to that of Michael Jordan, saying players must earn the mantle of James' replacement.

"I would never anoint another player to be the next LeBron James just in the same way when Michael [Jordan] retired," Silver told reporters.

"I remember at the time David Stern [former NBA commissioner] was saying whoever demonstrates on the court that they should be.

"These new players aren't anointed. They demonstrate to the world, they demonstrate to the league that they deserve to be viewed in that same rare position as players like Michael and Kobe [Bryant] and LeBron and others."

Silver pointed to the rise of international talent in the NBA as potentially being able to somewhat fill the boots of James, stating the league is in "fantastic hands".

"Just look at the All-Stars that we're going to be seeing competing [Sunday] night," Silver added.

"Look at the magnitude of the pool of international players coming into this league. Look at the amount of basketball that's being played on a global basis."

Bam Adebayo will start in Sunday's All-Star game for the first time having replaced the injured Joel Embiid.

Reigning MVP Embiid was originally slated to start at center for the Eastern Conference All-Star team, but the Philadelphia 76ers man will miss the game because of a knee injury.

Adebayo initially made the reserve team having averaged 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the Miami Heat so far this season, but has now been chosen as Embiid's deputee by Eastern Conference coach Doc Rivers.

Adebayo was also selected as a reserve team member in 2020, winning the skills competition that year, but this will be the first time he has made the starting line-up.

The former Kentucky Wildcat will become the seventh Heat player to be an All-Star starter and the first since Dwyane Wade eight years ago.

Adebayo's Heat currently sit at 30-25, in the play-in spots at seventh in the East having reached the NBA finals from the play-in positions last season.

Bahamian NBA star Chavano Rainer "Buddy" Hield was appointed the new Ambassador at Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bahamas.

Hield, the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard, officially received his credentials from Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis during a ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday.

The 31-year-old, Hield, was drafted to the NBA in 2016, and since entering the league, has conducted a number of basketball camps in The Bahamas, particularly on Grand Bahama.

He joins NBA players Rick Fox and Olympian Chris Brown as the third Bahamian athlete to be appointed as an Ambassador at Large.

"I do swear by Almighty God that I will lead with true faith and allegiance to the Commonwealth of Bahamas. I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office which I am about to enter. I sincerely swear that I will be bound by the office secret act of the Bahamas and agree to apply it not only during the period of my appointment, but also after my appointment has seized.

"As an officer of the Foreign Affairs, I will support and defend the constitution of the Bahamas and uphold the rule of law to both protect and defend the interest of the Commonwealth of Bahamas whether domestically or internationally," Hield said during the ceremony.

The NBA has fined Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue $35,000 following his comments over the officials in Wednesday's win over the Golden State Warriors.

Lue was shown on video claiming the officials were "cheating" in a game the Clippers won 130-125.

The Clippers coach was ejected during the fourth quarter, though LA still came back to win.

Lue was then videoed shouting to his players and staff: "Where the refs at now? Cheating. That's all they be doing."

On Friday, the NBA fined Lue for "public criticism of the officiating and for questioning the integrity of game officials."

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin set his sights high after he led Team Jalen to glory in the Rising Stars Game.

Mathurin was named the night's MVP on Friday, after scoring 22 points across two games, first in the semifinal against Team Tamika, and then in the final against Team Detlef.

The Rising Stars format saw rookies – including number one draft pick Victor Wembanyama – sophomores and some G League players split into four teams.

Mathurin, playing on home turf at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, was also serenaded with "MVP" chants from the crowd. 

And for the 21-year-old, it is hopefully a taste of what is to come in his career.

"It was fun. It was fun to see, to receive those chants," said Mathurin, who has averaged 14.1 points per game across 52 appearances for the Pacers this season.

"The Rising Stars Game, I feel like I haven't really gotten that feeling in the NBA. One day I want to be MVP, so it was great to have that feeling pretty early in my career.

"I saw a couple of shots going in and I was like, it's a wrap. If I'm being totally honest, it's also my city. I had to make sure I brought it home. So that was the main thing for me.

“To see my family and friends travelling all this way just to see me have a good time, I felt I needed to play well."

There was no such look for Wembanyama, who exited in the first round as part of Team Pau on his first Rising Stars appearance, albeit the 20-year-old San Antonio Spurs star has a busy weekend to come, with the skills challenge next up for him.

"I want to win and I hate losing," he said. "But at the same time, I have so much going on.

"I'm happy that I just knocked one thing off the list this weekend. So it's mixed feelings."

Pacers stars Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Isaiah Jackson and Obi Toppin were all in the crowd to support Mathurin, meanwhile, who was delighted to have the backing of his teammates.

"I was pretty pumped, just to see them," he added. "Seeing how much they support me and love me."

Doc Rivers suggested the Milwaukee Bucks had "some guys in Cabo" as he reflected on their shock loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Despite missing several key players, including Scotty Pippen Jr – who was out with a back injury – the Grizzlies won 113-110 on Thursday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 35 points and 12 assists, but his 43rd double-double of the season was not enough.

And Rivers, whose team are third in the Eastern Conference, believes some of his players were already thinking about potential trips away during the All-Star break, rather than focusing fully on the task at hand.

"We had some guys here, and some guys in Cabo," Rivers said.

"First play of the game, we gamble for the 50th time in the corner. Guy drives, we have to help, leads to a 3.

"On our set, two guys forget what we're running. Then we missed a shot and nobody gets back. That's how we start out the third quarter. That tells you all you need to know about where our heads were.

"These are tough games. Yeah, it's a panic game for coaches."

Ziaire Williams and GG Jackson scored 27 points each for the Grizzlies.

"It feels good," Williams said.

"Proud of this team. We've been fighting our tails off every game. It's good to see. One man falls down, and another one steps up. We're just having fun."

The Grizzlies, whose star player Ja Morant is out for the rest of the campaign, sit 13th in the Western Conference, with a 20-36 record.

Steve Kerr is considering how best to use Klay Thompson after the 34-year-old responded to being benched with an emphatic showing for the Golden State Warriors.

Thompson was benched for the first time since 2012 on Thursday, but responded with his best performance of the season as the Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 140-137.

The small forward finished with 35 points and six rebounds. Thompson had started 727 straight games.

Golden State's win marked Kerr's 500th victory as Warriors coach, and he believes Thompson, who is averaging 17.3 points per game this season.

"It's been a tricky season for him and for us," said Kerr.

"It's not as easy to do what Klay did five or six years ago for him.

"I think this could be a good balance to get the best out of Klay and to get the best out of our team.

"He's just such a competitor. I've watched him win championships. I've seen him hit a million big shots. I've seen him guard the toughest guys in the league.

"Klay's a champion. He's an incredible player, a great person."

Thompson has now surpassed 15,000 points, becoming the sixth Golden State player, and the 153rd player in total, to do so.

"You can do two things: You can pout or you can go out there and respond," said Thompson. "I thought I did the latter very well tonight.

"Throughout the game, when I'm running with the second unit, I realised I might be more of a focal point to the offense.

"That's a fun role to play. I just wanted to take it upon myself to prove to coach that I was going to respond like the champ I am.

"I thought about [former Spurs great] Manu Ginobli, that guy has four rings and a gold medal, and he came off the bench his whole career, and I don't think anyone looks down on his Hall of Fame candidacy.

"He's one of the greats. And I thought, I mean, I embraced it before tip, and I deserved it really."

Klay Thompson scored a season-high 35 points with seven 3-pointers in his first appearance off the bench since his rookie season in the Golden State Warriors’ 140-137 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday.

A reserve for the first time since March 11, 2012, Thompson scored 17 points in the Warriors’ 84-point first half. He was 13 of 22 from the field and 7 of 13 from 3-point range with six rebounds in 28 minutes.

Brandon Podziemski replaced him in the starting lineup and had 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Draymond Green scored a season-best 23 points, Andrew Wiggins added 19 and Stephen Curry contributed 16 points and 10 assists as Golden State won its seventh in eight games.

Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 35 points and nine assists, while Keyonte George set career highs with 33 points and nine 3s.

Wolves start fast in rout of Blazers

Anthony Edwards scored 13 of his 34 points in a dominant first quarter and the Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a 128-91 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and Jaden McDaniels scored 17 as Minnesota opened a 44-14 lead after one quarter in its fourth straight victory.

The Wolves’ 30-point lead was the most lopsided first quarter in the NBA this season.

Jerami Grant scored 20 points for Portland, which has lost six straight.

Grizzlies hold off Bucks

Ziaire Williams and GG Jackson each scored 27 points and the Memphis Grizzlies held on for a 113-110 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Vince Williams had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Lamar Stevens added 13 points off the bench to help Memphis win its second straight following a season-high nine-game losing streak.

Giannis Antetokoumpo had his 43rd double-double of the season with 35 points and 12 assists, and Damian Lillard had 24 points and seven assists.

Milwaukee has lost its last two and five of its past seven games.

Stephen Curry labelled the Golden State Warriors as "very average" after they gave up a big lead against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Warriors looked set to claim a sixth straight win after a strong first three quarters against the Clippers on Wednesday.

However, despite at one stage holding a 15-point lead, and a 13-point advantage heading into the final quarter, the Warriors could not hold on.

It is the sixth time this season that Golden State have lost after holding a 15-point lead - only the San Antonio Spurs have a poorer record.

And Curry, who finished with 41 points, bluntly said: "We're very average. 

"Very average doesn't get it done in this league. We need to make a run, hopefully, we bounce back tomorrow and after the All-Star break hit a stride where we win every game [at home] and steal a few on the road.

"We've been very average so far, so we have to regain that home-court fear that we have grown accustomed to in the past."

The Warriors blew a 22-point lead against the Clippers earlier in the season, and held an 11-point lead when their coach Tyronn Lue was ejected midway through the fourth quarter.

Yet the Clippers then went on a 36-22 streak, and Curry acknowledged the Warriors came up against an in-form side.

"They're a really good team that has some confidence, and we're still trying to prove that we're that type of team," Curry said.

While the Clippers are third in the Western Conference, the Warriors are 10th, just above the playoff line.

"Either way, how tonight would have gone, we would say the same thing about tomorrow, we're trying to keep the streak going and not have any missteps," added Curry.

"Now, it's the same mission but a different mindset of bounding back and just feeling good going into a six-day break. It's a very, very, very, very important game, to say the least."