Short takes
• Wolves All-Star and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Jimmy Butler is one of 35 players chosen for a U.S. men's national team pool from which 12-man teams will be chosen for the 2019 World Cup in China and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Absent from the group is Karl-Anthony Towns.
New Jersey born and raised, he's not eligible for U.S. team because he played for the Dominican Republic — his mother's homeland — national team when he was 16. He said earlier this season he has no regret about doing so and doesn't foresee himself choosing to play for U.S. teams.
• While discussing this season's Sixth Man of the Year race, Denver coach Michael Malone admitted the award likely will go to a pure scorer, the Los Angeles Clippers' Lou Williams, once again.
"A lot of times that Sixth Man is just a guy who's a prolific scorer, Jamal Crawford obviously," Malone said. "That award probably will be named after Jamal at some point."
Malone was a Knicks assistant when the Wolves' Crawford played in New York early in his career. "He's just being nice," said Crawford, a three-time Sixth Man winner.
• The NBA regular season doesn't end until Wednesday, so there's still time for somebody to say "it's not a sprint, it's a marathon."
