LOS ANGELES – They possess disparate personalities and come from different places, backgrounds and maybe even times, but Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns play as teammates in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game together for the first time.
As different as they might be, they are Timberwolves one and the same who have found common ground.
"You just have to allow him to be who he is and allow me to be who I am," Butler said Saturday after a Team Stephen practice. "Know at times that we'll clash, but it's only because we want to win.
''We're not going to see eye to eye on everything, but he'll help me grow and I'll help him grow in the same way. I love to see the growth he has made as a player, but more importantly as a person.
"To be here lets him know he's at the top of this league. He's around the best. It's big growth and a step to greatness and he's right there."
KAT for MVP
When asked to predict Sunday's MVP, Butler picked his own.
"KAT is going to win MVP," Butler said. "Hey, why not? He has been playing incredibly well. I'm happy he gets to be here, well-deserved on his behalf. So when I get out there, KAT, I'm going to throw you the ball and you shoot it. If you throw it back to me, I'm going to throw it right back to you."
Etc.
• Utah's Donovan Mitchell won Saturday's dunk contest, but Towns won't forget when teammate Zach LaVine beat Aaron Gordon in 2016. "I was at the best dunk contest that ever happened," Towns said.
