Young Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards said before Sunday's game against Brooklyn he'd already forgotten Wednesday's loss and his third-quarter ejection during a game back home in Atlanta.
But he remembered apologizing to his teammates immediately afterward, when he acquired successive technical fouls for his gestures and profanity.
The Wolves lost 134-122 in a game they once led by 16 points.
Asked if he felt the need to apologize for his actions, Edwards said, "Yeah, for sure. In there [locker room] watching the game, you see I need to be out there, for sure. I feel like I left them by theyself."
Wolves coach Chris Finch reminded his team afterward to play on without distractions over the night's officiating. Star Karl-Anthony Towns received technical and flagrant foul calls in the same quarter that Edwards was ejected as well.
Finch said saw no reason to address the matter with Edwards specifically.
"He felt bad, I felt bad for him to be in his hometown and all that," Finch said. "That's not within his normal behavior. I don't think it needed to be addressed any further than that."
Edwards said his coach said all he needed to say.
"I think Finchy gave us great advice: Just play basketball," Edwards said. "We're not going get what we want every time on the court, so just play through it. We're trying to win, so we can't keep selling [calls]. I can't get kicked out. We're not really worried about that no more."
Beverley, Durant out
Wolves starting guard Patrick Beverley missed Sunday's game because of a sprained ankle that knocked him out in Atlanta in the first half.
Jared McDaniels started in Beverley's place with D'Angelo Russell and Edwards in the backcourt.
Nets superstar Kevin Durant missed his fourth consecutive game after he sprained his left knee's MCL in a game against New Orleans a week ago. He could miss a month or more.
Welcome back
Nets assistant coach David Vanterpool returned Sunday to Target Center, where he coached last year when Finch was hired as head coach midway through the season.
The NBA fined Vanterpool $10,000 Thursday for interfering with play. He reached across the sideline and deflected a pass in play during Wednesday's victory over Washington.
He has been an assistant coach in Russia, Portland and was an associate head coach in three seasons with the Wolves ending last season.
"He's going to be a head coach in this league at some point," Finch said. "I told him that, too. When you have that type of acumen and experience, it's only a matter of time. Getting your opportunity is the hardest thing."
Go Pack, Go?
New Wolves part-owner Alex Rodriguez attended Sunday's game, one night after Fox broadcast cameras captured him wearing a Green Bay Packers stocking cap and moving to keep warm at the Packers-49ers game at Lambeau Field. He sat in owner Glen Taylor's seats next to the Wolves bench on Sunday,
An insider said Rodriguez's group came unprepared for Green Bay's frigid weather and outfitted themselves with what they could at the stadium.
Etc.
• Finch kept one eye on reporters and the other fixed to a television showing the wild finish to the L.A. Rams-Tampa Bay game during his Sunday evening pre-game media scrum. "I can still see the TV from here," he said from a podium.
• Original Wolves player Doug West made appearances for the team over the weekend and was welcomed during a second-quarter timeout. The second-round pick in 1989 played for the Wolves in their first nine seasons.
