KG reunited with Doc as consultant to Clips
Kevin Garnett has joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a consultant to help with the team’s big men four months after ending his 21year NBA career.
The move reunites Garnett with Doc Rivers — his former coach with the Celtics with whom he won the 2008 NBA championship together — as well as former C’s teammates Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass.
Garnett will work with center DeAndre Jordan and forward Blake Griffin after he is expected to return later this month after having surgery. Backup center Marreese Speights is also expected to get Garnett’s attention.
Garnett and Rivers met earlier in the week to go over his duties and Garnett mentioned things about the Clippers that he’d seen from afar.
“His enthusiasm is always nice to have in any gym,” Rivers said before last night’s game against Orlando. “He’ll work with the bigs and just give knowledge to anyone who wants it. He has great knowledge.”
Garnett certainly has the credentials to earn the respect of his proteges.
Thunder 103, Grizzlies 95 — Russell Westbrook posted his 18th triple-double of the season, and host Oklahoma City defeated Memphis.
Westbrook finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for the 55th tripledouble of his career. He already has matched his triple-double total from last season less than halfway through this one, and last year’s total was the most for a player since Magic Johnson had 18 during the 1981-82 season.
Timberwolves 119, Rockets 105 — Andrew Wiggins scored 28 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 18 rebounds, and Shabazz Muhammad scored 20 to help Minnesota get past visiting Houston.
James Harden scored 33 points and had 12 assists for Houston, which saw its ninegame winning streak end.
Ricky Rubio tied his own franchise record with 17 assists to go with 10 points.
76ers 98, Knicks 97 — T.J. McConnell hit a baseline jumper at the buzzer to give host Philadelphia the victory over New York.
Joel Embiid had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Ersan Ilyasova added 16 points to help the Sixers rally from a 17-point deficit.
Derrick Rose returned from a one-game hiatus and scored 25 points for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony had 28.
Rose showed why New York needs him on the court, two days after an unexcused absence. He missed Monday night’s loss to New Orleans when he traveled home to Chicago without informing the team first.
Trail Blazers 102, Cavaliers 86 — C.J. McCollum scored 27 points and host Portland outlasted LeBron James and Cleveland.
Unusually heavy snowfall affected both teams before the game, with as much as 14 inches on the ground in some spots in the Portland area.
The storm, which started Tuesday night, dumped the most snow recorded in the city since 2008, according to the National Weather Service. Gov. Kate Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler both issued a state of emergency.
The Cavaliers, who lost to the Utah Jazz 100-92 on Tuesday night, were delayed in getting to Portland but finally arrived about 3 a.m. yesterday.
The Trail Blazers beat the Lakers in Los Angeles 10887 on Tuesday night. They flew to Seattle, and players spent the night there. They flew into Portland by midday yesterday and stayed at a hotel until game time.
Clippers 105, Magic 96 — J.J. Redick had 22 points and host Los Angeles topped Orlando.
Elsewhere in the NBA — The league fined Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn $25,000 yesterday for a flagrant foul that left Pelicans star Anthony Davis with a bruised left hip Monday. . . .
In another announced fine, the league docked Dallas Mavericks guard/ forward Justin Anderson $25,000 for a flagrant foul against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Kris Dunn, also on Monday.