MINNEAPOLIS - It's February and the Wolves are winning.
"It's something fans around here haven't really seen for 14 years, so it's almost like a re-introduction to a successful NBA franchise," said Brad Ruiter, the Timberwolves Vice President of Communications.
This is the Minnesota Timberwolves. That's Jimmy Butler. He's Karl Anthony Towns. That's Andrew Wiggins. And, they've won 13 straight at Target Center, the third longest streak in team history.
"In the last 14 years, a lot of the draw for people to come to Target Center was to see the opponent's stars, whether it be a Kobe Bryant or whoever else. Now, people are coming to see our guys," said Ruiter.
Our guys win.
The Wolves are reporting attendance is up 20%, that's the largest yearly increase in the NBA. And, they've already had nine sellouts.
"We haven't sold out that many games before the All-Star break since Target Center opened in 1990," said Ruiter.
The Wolves have been waiting for this resurgence since 2004, the last time they made the playoffs.
But, meet Jimmy, KAT, and Andrew. They're the Timberwolves and they're trying to end the NBA's longest playoff drought.
"New logos, new jerseys, everything really here - if you haven't been down here - it's new," said Ruiter.
"You know, when renovations started and we were building this young core with drafting Wiggins and drafting Towns, and we were kind of eyeing this year as maybe kind of a breakthrough year."
