Coming in hot: Nostalgia and anticipation build ahead of Timberwolves semi-final game
The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t just have home-court advantage at this Friday’s semifinal game: The team is coming in hot with a 2-0 lead against defending NBA champions the Denver Nuggets. Minnesota fans want to be part of the action, but soaring ticket prices mean many will be watching from outside Target Center.
So many Wolves fans were in Denver for the team’s last big win, they could be heard chanting “Wolves in four!” at the end of ESPN’s broadcast of the game.
Many old and newer fans were stocking up on merchandise at the Timberwolves Team store at Target Center on a Wednesday afternoon.
Longtime fan Paul Jacob said it was important to get a couple of jerseys as they are becoming harder to come by amid the team’s wild success.
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“We wanted to make sure we came in and locked them up before they get completely sold out,” Jacob said.
The last time there was this much hype around the team was 20 years ago, Jacob added.
“I was at some of those games,” Jacob said. “I’m more optimistic about this team and the future here than I ever was for the Wolves even back then, even with Kevin Garnett. So I’m loving it, man."
Inside the store, fans searched racks for the right sweatshirts, jackets and jerseys as Bon Togba manned the register, ringing up customers one after another.
“The store has been filled. This is the most filled I’ve seen and I’ve been here for about a year and a half,” Togba said. “A lot of Anthony Edwards jerseys are going, a lot of people who are asking for classics, a lot of phone calls.”
The nostalgia is as palpable as the excitement for the future, Togba has noticed.
David Brookins stopped in midday to buy an Edwards jersey.
“The aggressiveness, the tenacity, you know, just the confidence,” he said about Edwards. “He’s playing at a whole different level,” Brookins said.
Brookins thinks the way Minnesota is playing, it could be tough to stop them.
For those in the market for resale tickets, Ticket King Minnesota president Michael Nowakowski said they can expect to pay a lot.
“The prices got to a point that a lot of the average fans just can’t afford,” Nowakowski said. “The least expensive ticket we have right now is $325, and that’s a high row in the upper-level corner.”
Nowakowski said the current prices rival only those of the 2004 season when the Wolves played the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
“It’s unbelievable. The fans are crazy fired up for the Timberwolves right now."
Tip-off for game three is Friday at 8:30 p.m. Find a list of watch parties and other ways to watch the game here.