On and on …

Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine had a special jersey made up just in time to commemorate back-to-back All-Star slam dunk contest victories: He turned his No. 8 uniform onto its side, transforming it into an infinity symbol and substituting his surname for "Flip" to remember former coach Flip Saunders. He's going to sign it and present it to the Saunders family.

"I just thought it was the right time to do that," said LaVine, who posted a photo of the slam dunk trophy and the jersey on Instagram. "Infinity, it pretty much goes on forever so it means his memory will go on forever. I thought it was something that was very special."

Pistons make moves

Thursday's trade deadline came and went without a true star being dealt, but there still looked to be a winner: Detroit.

Fighting for the East's final playoff spot, the Pistons strengthened their rotation by adding forwards Tobias Harris, Donatas Motiejunas and guard Marcus Thornton and sent away a protected first-round pick.

TNT analyst Kenny Smith called Detroit "the quiet assassin" after its deadline moves: "They have put themselves in position to possibly contend for the top two or three spots."

Trophy meal

Wolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns went home to New Jersey for a few days after last weekend's All-Star festivities in Toronto, and he took his Skills Challenge trophy with him.

His father, Karl Sr., took it from there, inviting the trophy to dinner on a long formal dining table the family seldom uses.

"He put it on top of the table, sat down with the trophy and ate with it," Towns said. "It was like it was his date. He was so proud."