Here are 15 great games, listed chronologically, that one might want to consider for the game of the year. Holy cow, that’s a lot of great games and I left out some pretty darn good oes. What a year!
November
11-1 Minnesota Timberwolves 110 Denver Nuggets 89. The Nuggets were of course the defending NBA champions and the Wolves had started poorly, losing to Toronto and Memphis (without Ja Morant). So this came as a bolt out of the blue, and yet it only evened the Wolves record at 2-2.
11-6 Minnesota Timberwolves 114 @ Boston Celtics 109 OT. Five nights later the Wolves beat the Celtics in OT. Beating Denver was one thing. Beating Denver and Boston in the same week, that was another thing entirely. Maybe there was something happenin’ here.
11-19 UConn Huskies women 62 Minnesota Gophers 44. Paige Bueckers was in the building. Somehow it seemed like a validation of the Gophers though, I mean, honestly, it wasn’t really that. But, it was a high for the Gopher women, especially considering that they trailed just 27-25 early in the 3rd quarter. Bueckers scored 12 points with 8 rebounds. The Gophers Mara Braun scored 12 points with 8 rebounds.
December
12-8 Minnesota Timberwolves 127 Memphis 103. Making up for that dreadful game against Memphis in October, and running their record to an NBA best of 17-4.
January
1-27 Minnesota State Mankato men 81 Minnesota State Moorhead 78. Who’da thunk. This game matched up the #2 rated Mavericks vs. the #3 ranked Dragons–#2 and #3, that is, in the nation. Well, OK, in D2. Mankato was down 74-72 with a minute left.
February
2-22 Gustavus Adolphus men 124 @ Carleton 116 2OT. The Gusties trailed 93-89 with 10 seconds left in regulation. This was for a spot in the MIAC playoff championship game. Luke Harris scored 33 for Carleton, Brady Kienitz 30 for Gustavus.
March
3-16 Minnetonka girls 64 Hopkins 56. Tonka coach Brian Cosgriff won his 8th state title, the first 7 having come at Hopkins. Aaliyah Crump scored 23.
3-23 Minnetonka boys 72 Wayzata 61. Wayzata beat Tonka 2 out of 3 but lost in this state final. But here in the final, Andy Stefonowicz and Kayden Wells scored 19 and Jordan Cain 17 for Tonka.
3-30 Minnesota State Mankato 88 Nova Southeastern 85. This was for “all the marbles,” as they say. Mankato led by as many as 13 in the 2nd half but trailed but trailed by one at :05. Elijah Hazekamp hit the winner at the final buzzer.
April
4-28 Minnesota Timberwolves 122 Phoenix Suns 116. The Wolves finished off KD and the Suns 4 games to none.
May
5-16 Minnesota Timberwolves 115 Denver Nuggets 70. Down 2 games to 3, the Wolves demolished the Nuggets. It was the final proof that the Wolves really are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. It was a jaw-dropper.
5-19 Minnesota Timberwolves 98 @ Denver Nuggets 90. Not the beat-down that game 3 was, but the Wolves finished the 2-time defending NBA champion Nuggets.
June
6-25 Minnesota Lynx 94 @ New York Liberty 89. ESPN had the Lynx 9th out of 10 WNBA teams. Oops. This got the Lynx to 13-3 and was the final proof that the Lynx were gonna be “there” right through the end of the season (and they were and are).
October
10-8 Minnesota Lynx 88 Phoenix Suns 77. The Lynx ended Diana Taurasi’s career 3 games to 2.
10-10 Minnesota Lynx 95 @ New York Liberty 93, This game got lots of commentary. The Lynx came from 18 down, tying the WNBA finals record.
The Last Six
Timberwolves beat the Celtics in November.
UConn 62 Minnesota Gophers 44 in Paige Bueckers’ homecoming.
Gustavus 124 Carleton 116 2OT in MIAC semis.
Mankato State 88 Nova SE 85 in D2 final.
Timberwolves 115 Denver Nuggets 70 in game 6.
Lynx 95 New York Liberty 93 OT in game 1.
