Lakers and Timberwolves emotional tribute to Flip Saunders

The emotional side of sports was on display during a moving tribute to coach Flip Saunders.

The Timberwolves played the Lakers in Los Angeles California on Wednesday with a final score of 112-111. The final score, on-court action, and even Kobe Bryant’s record-breaking 20th consecutive season with the Lakers, however, were all overshadowed by the moving tribute to Flip Saunders, the beloved coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves who lost his battle to cancer on October 25.

Saunders’ diagnosis was revealed in mid-August, so his death just three short months later rocked the sports world and saddened the Timberwolves, where Saunders had become a fixture, affiliated with the team from 1995-2005 and again from 2014 until his death. In the intervening time, he had worked with the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards.

In the Timberwolves first game since their coaches’ passing, the team wore warm-up shirts with the word “WE.” The Lakers also joined in the tribute, wearing shirts during warm ups and on the bench that read, simply, “Flip.” There was also a moment of silence for Saunders before the start of the game.

Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves point guard, said, “Even if he is gone, he will stay with us forever.”

The team’s tribute to Saunders will continue throughout the season. Starting at their home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, the team will don a patch that says “Flip” on their jerseys.