The Minnesota Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time in two decades Sunday night when they roared back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets 98-90.

Jayson Tatum scored 45 points — 14 of them in the fourth quarter and another 12 in overtime — as the Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in a matchup of the two conference leaders to remain perfect at home.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points and 17 rebounds, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the Bucks’ career rebounding leader, and Damian Lillard scored 39 points in Milwaukee’s 128-119 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

LeBron James is beginning his 21st NBA season on a path to redefine how long an elite player can stay on top.

The Boston Celtics are halfway to history, and that alone has gotten them entry into a very small club.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points in his return to Golden State’s starting lineup and the Warriors beat Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets 102-98 to end their first-round playoff series in five games.

Deandre Ayton scored a career-high 35 points and had 14 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns surged past trash-talking Minnesota 125-116.

Luka Doncic returned from a hamstring scare to hit a tying 3-pointer with a 1:21 left, Spencer Dinwiddie made the winner with nine seconds to play and the Dallas Mavericks spoiled Kevin Garnett’s special day by beating the Boston Celtics 95-92 on Sunday.

The post-retirement accolades have rained down on Kevin Garnett over the past handful of years.

The 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame Class is one of history’s deepest, with legends like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett representing the modern era of basketball.

Kobe Bryant is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame now, along with contemporaries Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, headliners of a group of nine who got their delayed and long-awaited enshrinement on Saturday night, more than a year after being announced as the Hall’s Class of 2020.

Vanessa Bryant got a private tour to see some of the newly remodeled Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, viewing the exhibit that will honor the life and legacy of her late husband before the rest of the world gets their first look.

Kobe.

Houston Rockets guard John Wall (1) drives on Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jaylen Nowell (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)MINNEAPOLIS – Kevin Porter Jr. scored 25 points in his return to Houston’s lineup, John Wall had 13 points and 12 assists and the Rockets rebounded to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 129-107 on Saturday night. The Rockets came back a night later to win for the second time in four games after a 20-game losing streak. Kelly Olynyk added 16 points in his first game for Houston after coming over from Miami in the trade for Victor Oladipo. Led by their holdover star Wall, the Rockets shot 73.9% in the first quarter and scored 41 points.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jaylen Nowell (4) shoots against Houston Rockets forward Sterling Brown (0) in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 26, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)(AP) – Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and Juancho Hernangomez had 19 points off the bench as the Minnesota Timberwolves came back to beat the Houston Rockets 107-101 on Friday night. Towns had 14 points during the final stretch as the Timberwolves won for the fourth time in 15 games under new coach Chris Finch. After being held to three points in the second and third quarters, Towns came back to pull Minnesota ahead. Carelessness crept in and Houston took advantage.