Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 biggest reasons to get excited about the 2020-21 season

Reason to be excited about 2020-21 Minnesota Timberwolves: It’s been a while

During the NBA lockout of 1999, the Wolves went nearly 10 months between playing games, from April 18, 1998 to Feb. 5, 1999.

Again, during the NBA lockout in 2011, Minnesota didn’t play a game from April 13 until returning on Dec. 26, just over eight months between games.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on Earth for the better part of the year, the Timberwolves haven’t played an NBA game since March 10. The NBA hasn’t released its schedule for the upcoming season yet, but it has announced the season will begin on Dec. 22. That’s nine-and-a-half months Timberwolves fans have had to wait to see their team in action.

Watching the NBA bubble was fun, but there’s nothing like seeing your favorite team in action. The drawn-out offseason has given Wolves fans ample opportunity to watch old highlights, read random people’s articles on the internet about who could be drafted and which players to target in free agency, and talk about how Towns and Russell fit together with their friends.

Fans have whipped themselves up into a frenzy during lockdowns and all of that pent up frustration and excitement will finally be relieved when the Wolves take the court in December.

Although it’s not ideal that fans won’t be allowed to pack the arena and show their appreciation for the team they haven’t been able to support for nearly a year, watching games on TV is way better than nothing.

Normally the offseason for the Wolves lasts between mid-April and late-October. In those six months, we usually get a full slate of NBA playoff games that last until mid-to-late-June with the draft lottery mixed in. Then comes the NBA Draft after the Finals, followed by free agency in July. Then comes a few weeks of summer league, and finally about a two-month break until training camps start.

The normal offseason offers a nicely spread out calendar of very important events that every fan can get behind. This year you had absolutely nothing from mid-March until July. Then, a three-month bubble with the playoffs ending in October. Then, another break until the draft on Nov. 18, followed immediately by free agency. This year’s offseason was much more random and sporadic than usual, causing fans to go months without any new NBA action.

That feeling of not knowing what is going to happen next or when has caused fans even more stress than usual during the offseason.

When the Wolves finally take the court sometime after Dec. 22, it will be with two of the biggest stars in the NBA, several new faces who will have an immediate impact on the team, and it will have been almost ten months since fans last saw the team play.

The upcoming season will be unlike any other in NBA history, and Minnesota Timberwolves fans should be as excited as they have ever been that basketball is finally (almost) back.