Wolves Post-Season: Minneapolis Declares 'Wolves Playoff Day', NBA Releases Updated Schedule
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- "Wolves Playoff Day" has been declared in Minneapolis as the team gears up for its first postseason game Saturday afternoon.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced the proclamation in the morning.
"The City of Minneapolis has rallied around its hometown Wolves team and is enjoying a moment of unfiltered happiness. The Wolves face the Memphis Grizzles today for the first of a best-of-seven series, and the whole city will be watching and cheering on their Wolves," the mayor's office said.
Also, the NBA released an updated schedule for the first four Wolves-Grizzlies matchups. Game 1 is played Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
The following three games take place at 7:30 p.m Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 9 p.m. next Saturday.
The first two games are in Memphis while the latter two are in Minneapolis.
Full text of the Wolves Playoffs Day proclamation:
WHEREAS, The Minnesota Timberwolves (Wolves) are returning to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2018 and the second time since 2004; and
WHEREAS, In front of a sellout crowd at Target Center on April 12, the Wolves beat the LA Clippers 109-104 in the NBA Play-In Tournament to clinch a playoff spot; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves players, coaches, fans and the entire City of Minneapolis have weathered and overcome tremendous challenges in recent years; and
WHEREAS, All-Star Center Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT) lost his mother to COVID-19 on April 13, 2020 and the Wolves completed a fourth quarter rally that has become an indelible part of Minneapolis sports lore on the eve of the two-year anniversary of her passing; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves lost beloved coach and basketball icon, Flip Saunders, to cancer in 2015; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves reflect the very strength and resiliency the Minneapolis community has displayed throughout many years of adversity; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves burst onto the national stage in the Target Center when Patrick Beverley and Anthony Edwards leapt onto the scorer's table like past Wolves legend Kevin Garnett; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves fans were granted a moment of unfiltered happiness alongside their young team; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves truly established themselves as BACK; and
WHEREAS, The City of Minneapolis does not give a damn what national commentators believe to be the right response to extraordinary accomplishment amid extraordinary trial; and
WHEREAS, Coach Chris Finch, KAT, Anthony Edwards, D'Angelo Russell, Patrick Beverley, and the entire Wolves roster are the pride of Minneapolis this weekend; and
WHEREAS, The Wolves will face the Memphis Grizzlies in a best of seven-game playoff series beginning on Saturday, April 16; and
WHEREAS, The future of this franchise is bright, and the entire City of Minneapolis will be Raised by Wolves as they take the 2022 playoffs by storm.
NOW, THEREFORE, I JACOB FREY, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, do hereby proclaim April 16, 2022, as:
WOLVES PLAYOFF DAY IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS
