Most of the Timberwolves fans had already left Target Center on Friday night about 15 minutes after Luka Doncic once again proved himself as the NBA’s most-feared assassin.

After making Rudy Gobert look like Bambi in the final seconds, Doncic drilled a nasty stepback jumper that proved to be the difference as the Timberwolves suffered a devastating 109-108 loss to the Mavericks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

As the “Inside The NBA” crew interviewed Doncic afterwards, the Timberwolves fans that stuck around to lament an 0-2 series deficit turned their attention to Draymond Green, whose pettiness has made him a villain in Minnesota during the playoff run.

A smattering of people let him have it with a “DRAYMOND SUCKS!” chant that could be heard loud and clear on the TNT broadcast.

“Rudy sucks, not me,” Green yelled back with a huge grin on his face. “What’d I do?”

It was undoubtedly the most egregious case of unprofessionalism yet from Green as “Inside The NBA” has inexplicably given him the platform to spew vitriol to a national audience. The highly regarded television show that has captured the hearts of so many basketball fans over the past few decades has been completely watered down over the past few weeks as Green has used it as a chance to pursue his own personal vendetta against Gobert.

It has been an embarrassment to watch it unfold in real time.

Initially, with the Timberwolves playing the Denver Nuggets, Green criticized Gobert for not defending Nikola Jokic straight up as Karl-Anthony Towns drew the matchup instead.

This coming from Green, who has played in the exact same role with the Golden State Warriors at the peak of their powers, roaming on defense in the NBA Finals while Andre Iguodala took the challenge of marking LeBron James.

Now, with the Timberwolves playing the Dallas Mavericks, Green theorized that Gobert should actually be coming off the bench with Doncic cooking in the pick and roll.

This coming from Green who would blow a gasket, most likely on his beloved podcast, if anybody ever suggested the same thing about him.

The worst part is that Green is so much better than his ridiculous commentary would suggest.

He is a basketball savant who garnered a reputation of being among the smartest players to ever play the game while starring alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson during the dynastic run. He has shown the ability to offer insightful analysis during his various appearances on “Inside The NBA” in the past. He seemed to be the heir apparent to Charles Barkley’s spot on set whenever the Chuckster decided he was ready to work on that golf swing.

Not anymore. Any sort of credibility Green had garnered previously has been thrown out the window as his insecurities have rendered him incapable of getting past his jealousy for Gobert.

Maybe it’s the fact that Green hasn’t made as much money as Gobert has in his career.

Maybe it’s the fact that Green has only won Defensive Player of the Year once while Gobert has owned that honor for much of the past decade.

Maybe it’s the fact that Green got himself suspended earlier this season for putting Gobert in a headlock during an altercation on the court.

Truthfully, it’s probably a combination of all of those things, and the result is Green allowing Gobert to live rent-free in his head.

You don’t have to be a lifelong NBA fan to see what’s going on here with Green.

He’s a hater masquerading as an expert. It’s a horrible look for everybody involved.

Here’s to hoping the Timberwolves can turn things around and shut him up.

Fans packed into a right field corner section at Target Field on Sunday, dressed in matching yellow jerseys that bore the name “Pablo,” across the chest and featured the colors of the Venezuela flag, a nod to Pablo López’s home country.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 26: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers tags out Trevor Larnach #9 of the Minnesota Twins at second base during a double play in the first inning at Target Field on May 26, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)

But the Twins’ ace was unable to deliver the type of performance that those fans have grown accustomed to. López gave up six runs and lasted just 4 2/3 innings on Sunday in the Twins’ 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

It was the second straight turbulent start for López, who yielded seven runs in five innings to the Washington Nationals the last time. It marked the first time in his career that he has allowed more than six runs in consecutive games.

The Twins starter now has a 5.25 earned-run average through the first two months.

Sunday’s problems began in the third inning when López issued an eight-pitch walk to second baseman Marcus Semien with two outs. That set the stage for Corey Seager’s first of two home runs off of López. The star shortstop’s first blast gave Texas a lead it would not relinquish. He added another in the fifth inning, hammering a first-pitch sweeper to right field.

López would encounter trouble again in the fourth inning, hitting Adolis García with a pitch before allowing consecutive singles to produce the Rangers’ third run.

They grabbed another one when Jonah Heim lined a ball to Edouard Julien that he could not grab cleanly, putting them up four runs before the Twins had even recorded their first hit of the day off rookie Gerson Garabito, who was making his major league debut.

After three hitless innings, Carlos Correa led off the bottom of the fourth with a single before Max Kepler’s double brought him home. Correa would be in the middle of the action an inning later, driving in Willi Castro with a double.

But that was all for the Twins, who finished with just three hits.

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Frankie Capan III didn’t pay much mind to Harry Higgs’ eagle putt on the 18th green on the second playoff hole Sunday of the Visit Knoxville Open at Holston Hills Country Club in Tennessee.

Higgs’ eagle putt was roughly 37 feet out on the par-5. Capan had a look from roughly 23 feet closer. The North Oaks native was in prime position to potentially claim his first Korn Ferry Tour victory.

But Higgs — who delivered plenty of magic to win last week’s Korn Ferry Tour event — conjured up a bit more Sunday, rolling in the lengthy putt for eagle, as his ball just caught the edge of the cup to sneak in. As it fell to the bottom, Capan peeked over and threw a thumbs up in Higgs’ direction.

Capan’s ensuing putt just missed, and Higgs was a back-to-back winner on tour.

“I was fortunate last week with a hole-out and then probably fortunate that that caught the right edge and went in,” Higgs told reporters, “but those are the things you have to have to win golf tournaments.”

For Capan, it’s still another great week. He has logged two top fives in his last three events, and has four top 10s in his last five starts.

Three weeks ago, he owned the golf scene for a day after firing an opening-round 59 en route to a fourth-place finish in Texas. On Saturday, he shot a 62 to take grab a one-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round.

And Capan played well on Sunday. He shot a bogey-free 66 — only one shot worse than Higgs’ 18-hole score. Capan birdied two of his first four holes, but then the well ran dry as a few putts simply didn’t drop.

On the final hole of regulation — that par 5 — Capan cranked his second shot 232 yards to the green to set up a 47-foot eagle putt that would’ve won the tournament. He cozied it up to to the cup and tapped in for birdie to force extra holes.

Both Higgs and Capan hit short putts for birdie on the first playoff hole, and it took something special from Higgs to finally edge the 24-year-old Minnesotan for the victory.

Capan’s performance will push him up into the top 15 on the Korn Ferry Tour’s season long points list. The top 30 by year’s end earn PGA Tour cards. There are currently no Minnesota natives on men’s golf’s top professional tour.

Capan’s time is certainly coming, it just wasn’t Sunday.

“He’s a phenomenal golfer, and he will be standing here doing a (winner’s) interview in short order, I believe,” Higgs said Sunday. “Then I think he will also have great success at the next level.”

Garage rock duo the Black Keys quietly canceled their upcoming North American tour, which included a Nov. 10 stop at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.

The Ticketmaster page for the local tour date does not list a reason for the cancellation, but says ticketholders “don’t need to do a thing” and that the company will refund to the original method of payment used for purchase within 14 to 21 days.

All tour dates, save for a July 6 NASCAR event in Chicago, disappeared from the band’s website Friday without explanation. The event’s listing on the Target Center website has also been deleted.

Earlier this month, the Black Keys wrapped up a series of European shows and band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney performed their recent single “Beautiful People (Stay High)” on Tuesday’s finale of “The Voice” on NBC.

The Black Keys released their 12th album “Ohio Players” in April. It peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard charts, the pair’s lowest ranking since their 2006 major label debut “Magic Potion.” In August, Auerbach and Carney played to a half full Grandstand on opening night of the 2023 Minnesota State Fair.

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