FLOWERY BRANCH Youth Jake Matthews Jersey , Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons were looking to bulk up in the trenches after a disappointing season.They stuck to that plan, even when one potential target after another was snatched up ahead of the 14th pick in the NFL draft.In a bit of a surprise, the Falcons selected offensive guard Chris Lindstrom from Boston College with their first-round choice Thursday night, adding another piece to a line that needed a big upgrade after star quarterback Matt Ryan took a pounding in 2019.As it turned out, Atlanta wasn’t done. Just before midnight, the Falcons dealt their second- and third-round picks to Los Angeles for the next-to-last selection of the first round, which they used to grab Washington offensive tackle Kaleb McGary at No. 31. Atlanta also got a sixth-round pick in the deal.The Falcons were thought to covet a wealth of stellar defensive linemen, but six of those players were gobbled up in the first 13 picks. Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams went to Cincinnati at No. 11, depriving Atlanta of another possible selection. When Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was grabbed by Miami just ahead of the Falcons’ pick, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Lindstrom became the choice.He’ll now be charged with protecting fellow Boston College alum Ryan, who was the Falcons’ top pick in 2008.“He’s come up to speak with the team a few times,” Lindstrom said. “He’s a great ambassador for what it means to be a BC man. I’m thankful to be able to play with him.”Ryan will be looking for a lot better protection from the guys up front. He was sacked 42 times and took 108 hits, a career high.“We were focused on offensive line,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “We need to protect Matt.”Atlanta hasn’t used a first-round pick on an offensive guard since Bill Fralic was chosen at No. 2 overall in 1985. Lindstrom joins a revamped offensive line that includes two other new guards, free agent signees James Carpenter and Jamon Brown.“I’m just trying to help the team,” Lindstrom said. When asked pointedly if he was capable of starting right away Stitched Desmond Trufant Jersey , he deferred. “I’m just trying to come in and work right now and try to be a great player.”The pick was not well received by Falcons fans watching the draft at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Many appeared baffled by the choice, perhaps because many draft analysts projected Lindstrom as possibly slipping into Friday’s second round.At least he comes from good bloodlines. His father, also named Chris, was a lineman at Boston University who went on to play three seasons in the NFL. Younger brother Alec just completed his freshman year on Boston College’s offensive line.McGary is a 6-foot-7, 324-pounder who will get a chance to compete for the starting job at right tackle.While the Falcons received offers to move up from the 14th pick and were interested in players such as Wilkins, Dimitroff insisted that offensive line was the top priority.Lindstrom, he added, was the guy the Falcons wanted all along.“We knew we would have to be aggressive,” Dimitroff said. “We’re not looking back. We made the choice of Lindstrom. We’re not concerned about anyone thinking he’s a reach.”Set at quarterback with former MVP Ryan and veteran backup Matt Schaub, the Falcons were hoping several teams ahead of them would go in that direction. The Arizona Cardinals selected Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray with the top overall pick, and Daniel Jones of Duke went to the New York Giants at No. 6.That was it.After the Falcons selected Lindstrom, Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins was scooped up by Washington at No. 15.Atlanta had its highest spot in the draft since 2015, when the team was heading into its first season under coach Dan Quinn. On the heels of two straight playoff appearances, including a run to the Super Bowl during the 2016 season, the Falcons were ravaged by injuries and slipped to 7-9 a year ago.Quinn fired all three coordinators in a shake-up that led to the head coach taking over the defensive play-calling duties.Lindstrom watched the draft from his family’s home in Massachusetts.“It was just my immediate family until I got drafted,” he said during a teleconference with Atlanta media. “It sounds like a lot of people just showed up.” On Saturday, a day after getting stomped by the Kings to fall to 4-9 Youth Desmond Trufant Jersey , the Timberwolves traded Jimmy Butler to the Sixers. Justin Patton went to Philadelphia as well, with Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless, and a future second-round pick going to Minnesota. Here are three important things we learned from this saga’s resolution.1. The Wolves got less for Jimmy than the Spurs got for Kawhi Leonard and the Pacers got for Paul George. We’re not even grading Indiana on a curve here given Victor Oladipo’s huge rise after the trade: Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis were a better package than Saric and RoCo, especially since Minnesota is also giving up Patton. DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl are a better package too, even with Danny Green also going to Toronto. Jimmy’s stock has fallen, or the Wolves’ front office performed worse than the others, or both.2. Elton Brand is extraordinarily brave. Brand just took over the lead job in the Sixers front office a couple months ago. He just watched Butler ruin the chemistry of a young team with shaky internal leadership. And now he’s injecting Jimmy straight into a team with brash Joel Embiid, calm Ben Simmons, and skittish Markelle Fultz. What a huge bet! I love it.3. Jimmy Butler is absolutely in play this summer. Since Jimmy didn’t land with the Heat, Knicks (who were apparently never in the mix, good for them), and Clippers -- three teams he targeted -- it would seem he’ll be in play as a free agent this summer. The Sixers can pay to keep him if they want to and if he wants to. It should be interesting to read those tea leaves.Here are your winners and losers from the trade. I wrote about how the Wolves set expectations and measure success now. Kristian Winfield writes that status quo wasn’t an option for Philly. Jake Hyman writes that Brand now needs to build a supporting cast. Wolves fans seem thrilled to be out from under Jimmy’s dark cloud.ScoresHornets 113, Pistons 103Pacers 103, Rockets 115Magic 115, Knicks 89Bucks 121 Stitched Mohamed Sanu Jersey , Nuggets 114Celtics 94, Blazers 100Hawks 106, Lakers 107ScheduleOn National TV:Pelicans at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TVWarriors at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TVSelections from League Pass:Sixers at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ETJazz at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ETSpurs at Kings, 10 p.m. ETFull schedule here.LinksUh, Carmelo Anthony might have played his last game for the Rockets.This is a great tick-tock of the unwinding of the Butler saga from Adrian Wojnarowski. It sounds like Thibodeau is done at the end of the season.Several teams wore t-shirts honoring the victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting and declaring “enough” gun violence. LeBron and Luke Walton discussed the tragedy at some length.The Lakers might be the greatest League Pass team ever. Those Lakers, by the way, are at .500 after beating the Hawks at home by a point on a Tyson Chandler block of a Trae Young finger roll.DeMar DeRozan has been incredible this season.The worst coaching hire was ... Rick Pitino.Kevin Pelton breaks down whether teams have an incentive to tank for Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett.Where can the Wizards trade John Wall?Where to get all of those dope city jerseys and more.The Sixers’ Zhaire Smith’s recovery from a foot fracture has been extended because of a food allergy. What?Gordon Hayward played in SLC for the first time since leaving the Jazz on Friday. He got booed ... a lot. Here’s why Utah is so mad at him.Kristaps Porzingis should probably just take the season off.Be excellent to each other.