MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Loved spilled the beans on who Isaiah Thomas' dinner date was Sunday here...Timberwolves guard Jamal Crawford.

Thomas wanted to know "who told you that," but, really, we all should've known. Thomas and Crawford are each other's best friend, a relationship that transcends basketball and is "rare" in Crawford's words because, well, Crawford is 37 and Thomas is 28.

Thomas, the Cavs' point guard who will play in his third game Monday when Cleveland takes on Minnesota said he and Crawford try to eat together the night before the game each time their teams play against each other.

"It's not like we played together in high school, or 'he's a cool kid and I'm a cool kid, let's be cool kids together,'" Crawford said. "It wasn't like that. It was so organic."

There have been some words written about this previously, but in case you don't know the story, Crawford is a Seattle-area basketball legend who was already in the NBA when Thomas was a star at Curtis High School in Tacoma, Wash.

Crawford had heard about Thomas' 50-point outbursts and of course Thomas looked up to Crawford, and the two met at an open gym at the University of Washington. Then, Thomas' parents sent him to South Kent Prep in Connecticut in 2006, within driving distance of New York -- where Crawford was playing for the Knicks.

"On the weekends I would take the train and stay the weekends in New York," Thomas said. "He came to my games as well. It's been a helluva relationship, friendship and something that's crazy because I used to watch him in the NBA and now being able to compete, it's a blessing."

The two say they talk every day. When Thomas was looking for a new agent early this season, he naturally chose Aaron Goodwin, who is Crawford's agent.

Separately, Crawford was considering the Cavs as a destination in free agency last summer, along with the Warriors, but settled on the Timberwolves. Minnesota paid him more than the Cavs were offering. Cleveland wanted him to come on a veteran's minimum, while Crawford wanted the Cavs to use their $5.2 million mid-level exception. The Cavs chose to give a portion of the mid-level to rookie Cedi Osman to bring him over from Turkey, and Crawford said he chose the Wolves because they weren't as established as Cleveland or Golden State.

After Crawford picked Minnesota, though, the Boston Celtics traded Thomas to the Cavs. Had the trade occurred before or during Crawford's free agency, Crawford said he'd have come to Cleveland.

"That's my brother," Crawford said. "We're past like friends or basketball relationship. ... Like, we go on vacation, like it's his family and my family. ... so that would've had to change things."

Crawford said Thomas called him as soon as he was traded to the Cavs, and after Thomas hung up, Thomas' wife and parents called.

Thomas, meanwhile, says the two play ball together in the summers at home, at L.A. Fitness gyms and YMCAs.

"We play at his high school all the time," Thomas said. "We're always scrimmaging at high schools. We're always just trying to find a good run, so wherever it may be, if somebody hits us up we'll be there."