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Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 areas in which the Wolves lead the way

By EJ Sullivan Forsberg

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 08: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves cheers on the team from the bench during the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center on February 8, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 08: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves cheers on the team from the bench during the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center on February 8, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Believe it or not, there are at least five things that Minnesota Timberwolves fans can hang their hat on.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have had their share of ups and downs. Mostly downs, of course, but there have been some high points.

Several consecutive playoff appearances with Kevin Garnett leading the way, the Western Conference Finals in 2004, Garnett’s MVP award in the same year, Kevin Love, and so on.

But believe it or not, there are least five things that the Minnesota Timberwolves organization is really, really good at. Seriously.

We just need to expand our definition of “things” to include some off-court items. Check it out…

Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 areas in which the Wolves lead the way

1. Minnesota Lynx

Credit owner Glen Taylor for being on the leading edge of this one. The Wolves were one of the first franchises to have a WNBA team when the Lynx was founded in 1999.

While the Wolves have found little-to-no postseason success, the Lynx absolutely have had their share of playoff dominance. One could argue that they just completed the best all-around decade of any basketball team.

From longtime Lynx star Seimone Augustus to hometown hero Lindsay Whalen, rebounding machine Rebekkah Brunson and possibly one of the best, most versatile players ever in Maya Moore, the team has been stacked for the better part of the last 10 years.

The Lynx also has one of the best coaches in the WNBA in Cheryl Reeve, who carries an impressive record of 231-109 (.679 winning percentage) and a 40-17 (.702) record in the playoffs.

The Lynx have brought home four WNBA championships and have made six WNBA Finals appearances in the past decade. The Lynx are the only professional sports franchise to provide the Twin Cities a championship banner since the Minnesota Twins won the World Series back in 1991.

2. T-Wolves Gaming

Another instance in which the Wolves were on the leading edge of something; the Wolves were one of the first franchises to jump into e-sports in 2018. And they had quite a season in 2019 when they brought home the 2K League championship.

It all came down to Game 5 in a best-of-5 series in the final round, and T-Wolves Gaming emerged victorious.

Taylor might not be the most popular franchise owner in the Twin Cities, but he sure seems to be a solid businessman. Once again, he found himself on the frontlines of what’s coming next. In this case, it was e-sports.

3. Video Team

Does anything else really need to be said? Is there a better video of a player returning to a team than this?

The video team puts together some of the best video intros as well and not just for players but logos and uniforms as well. They have to do a fabulous job of engaging a market that has seen much turmoil and turnover.

These folks get people excited on off nights when there does not seem to be much importance on a team that just traded half its roster. And that happens fairly frequently, unfortunately.

4. Local Broadcast Team

The local television broadcast on Fox Sports North relies heavily on color commentator Jim Petersen, unequivocally one of the best in the business. In fact, just this week, the broadcast was ranked in the top five league-wide in a survey conducted by The Athletic (subscription required).

What really makes him shine is his ability to not only tell the viewers about the bright side and how players might improve, but also giving us an in-depth look at the game as well as being fair. Petersen is not just a homer, he calls a fair game, helping fans not only understand what a good play looks like but also bad plays or decisions.

And that gives fans insight into what good basketball looks like. It also helps understand how a player affects the game even if he doesn’t have his hands on the ball.

Also, Dave Benz is a fantastic play-by-play man. He has good inside stories and seems to have a good grasp of when to share stories about players when there is a lull in the game.

On the radio side, Alan Horton has been calling games for the Wolves since 2007. If you have never listened to a Wolves game on the radio, then you’re missing out. He gives fantastic play-by-play-play as well as providing great sound bites. Typically, he calls games by himself, which is no easy feat.

5.  Acquiring Good Players Named Kevin

Was there ever really any question with the Timberwolves are best at?

They acquire fantastic players named Kevin like it is their ultimate goal. From the obvious (Kevin Garnett and Kevin Love) to the solid (Kevin Martin), Target Center has been home to some of the best Kevins the league has seen over the past couple of decades. Except for Kevin Durant…but maybe he’s next.

Next. Why Wolves fans should root for the Nets this summer. dark

Are there any Kevins in this year’s draft? What about 2021? Let’s keep an eye out.

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