Special to Sports News Highlights

(SNH) – If there is one thing Minnesota sports fans are familiar with, it’s playoff heartbreak.

It’s been nearly 33 years since the Twins beat Atlanta in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series on a Gene Larkin walk-off single.

Now there’s a chance the drought won’t quite make the 33-year mark after the Timberwolves stunned the defending champions, Denver, by overcoming a 20-point deficit in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals and moving on to the Conference Finals with a 98-90 victory.

“Guys just believing in themselves,” Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards said.

The Timberwolves are the latest Minnesota franchise looking to end the skid for the Twin Cities in the four major North American professional sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL).

The T-Wolves were perhaps the most unlikely team to bring the streak to an end, but they swept Phoenix for the franchise’ first playoff series win in 20 years, then fought off Denver in seven games.

Edwards has become the face of the franchise, which has gone from up-and-coming to contenders this season.

Edwards had 27 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals in the Game 6 victory and raised up seven fingers to the roaring Target Center crowd as it became clear the season would continue for at least another game back in Denver.

He was only 6-for-24 for 16 points in the deciding game, but added eight boards, seven assists and two steals.

“We’ve watched him grow, evolve as a leader, as a player, as a man,” Wolves center Rudy Gobert said. “It’s been fun.”

Edwards is far from the lone star for Minnesota as Karl Anthony-Towns, Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gobert and Jaeden McDaniels round out the starting five. Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kyle Anderson, Monte Morris and Luka Garza are well relatively well-known names for those who follow the NBA and college hoops.

But the coaching staff, led by Chris Finch, gives Minnesota a championship energy.

“They’ve been really detailed on what we need to do in order to accomplish things,” Conley said. “They put it on the table, and we all know what we need to do.”

What the T-Wolves did Sunday was no small task. Defeating three-time and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the defending champions on their home floor was impressive.

“We talked a lot today just about getting our edge back, our swagger, playing a little more free and easy,” Finch said.

They needed that swagger to help erase the memories of Gary Anderson’s missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship game, the Wild’s 4-10 record in the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Twins 21-year playoff series drought that went from 2002-2023.

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