NBA's top two picks meet right off the bat in opener

LOS ANGELES – High school friends before they deepened their relationship last spring, Timberwolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns and the Los Angeles Lakers' D'Angelo Russell met Wednesday for the first time as professionals during the season opener for both teams.

By doing so, they became the first No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks from the previous summer's draft to face each other in their NBA debuts since the league's common-draft era began in 1966.

Friends from the summertime AAU circuit and prep all-star games, they spent two months together last spring training together, living together and preparing themselves for draft night by working out at the same facility in the Los Angeles area.

"I was always friends with D'Angelo," Towns said, "but it grew to something greater before the draft."

They trained at the same time and stayed in the same hotel, sharing breakfast, lunch and dinner together and awaited their big night together in late June. The Wolves took Towns first out of Kentucky that night, the Lakers went next and selected Russell out of Ohio State.

Their paths separated that night, but they've stayed in touch all summer and fall.

Until Tuesday.

Searching for some normalcy in an abnormal week when his coach died, young Wolves guard Zach LaVine sought refuge where he usually does: in the gym. He went to his alma mater UCLA late Tuesday and shot for 40 minutes after the Wolves arrived in Los Angeles that evening.

"I came here and just shot," LaVine said at the same UCLA gym where the Wolves had their morning shoot-around on Wednesday. "Just to take my mind off some things. The gym, that's my safe spot. You know me. I like shooting the night before games and I know the area. It feels like home."

On the same night Kevin Garnett started his 21st NBA season, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant began his 20th and by doing so Wednesday set a league record for most seasons played with one franchise. He surpassed John Stockton, who played for Utah from 1984 to 2003.

"I expect him to come out and be Kobe Bryant," Mitchell said before the game. "Great players go slowly. That's what makes them great. Sure, he can't run and jump over people like he used to do. Kevin can't, either. But those guys generally get smarter and craftier. Kobe is going to be Kobe. He knows he has to go out and score for them. We're going to treat Kobe the way we've always treated him."

• Garnett's 21st season ties him with Robert Parish and Kevin Willis for the most seasons ever by a player. He surpassed Willis on Wednesday and moved into fifth place for most career games played with 1,425.

"I think this is the best possible way to get this kid off to a great start, especially with Kobe out there with him," Scott said.

• The Wolves' inactive players were rookie guard Tyus Jones and injured center Nikola Pekovic.

• The Wolves' opening-night roster included six players not with the team last season: Towns, Nemanja Bjelica, Tayshaun Prince, Jones, Andre Miller and Damjan Rudez.

• Garnett and Bryant entered the league in successive years two decades ago, Scott's last two seasons as a player. "I don't remember, that's how long ago it was," Scott said. "That seems so long ago, it's unbelievable."