Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau and the NBA agreed on one thing following Sunday's buzzer-beating victory at Oklahoma City: Thibodeau signaled for a timeout he didn't have, one of two officiating errors the league deemed were made against the Thunder in the game's final five seconds.
Thibodeau on Tuesday agreed with the league on one of those two points stated in a two-minute report: He did signal briefly for a timeout. But he disagreed that Karl-Anthony Towns set an illegal screen that led to Andrew Wiggins' dramatic three-point, game-winning shot in a 115-113 victory.
Thibodeau said he knew the Wolves had no timeouts left and noted he and his players talked about that during a timeout with nine seconds left. He quickly gestured for his team to inbound the ball and push it up the floor after he signaled for a timeout a referee didn't see because he had his head turned.
He called the signal for a timeout mostly instinctual during a new season in which the NBA has reduced the number of timeouts late in games in order to speed up their pace.
"It was just a mistake on my part," Thibodeau said, "but I realized it right away so we just kept going."
The two-minute report also said Towns set too wide of a screen with his legs that clipped Thunder star Paul George as he attempted to keep up with Wiggins streaking down the floor.
Asked if his screen was illegal, Towns said, "Nah, I don't care, I don't care. We got the 'W.' That's all I care about."
His hometown team
Wolves point guard Jeff Teague faced both his former and hometown team Tuesday. He played last season at home for the Pacers after he spent his first seven years in Atlanta.