Our winter sports teams teased, then tumbled

Just over 2 weeks ago, Minnesota sports had one of the coolest nights we have ever had, a truly unique convergence of teams and stakes, with the Timberwolves and Wild both clinching 1st round playoff series wins at home.

But the problem with winning in the 1st round is that you then have a 2nd round. Never before had the Wolves and Wild both advanced in the same year. Could they do it again and against superior competition? 

Well, this IS Minnesota sports. Even when we DO get some playoff success (Minneapolis Miracle, the Twins 2023 wild card win), it doesn't sustain itself.

And in the span of 3 days this week, the championship-less (hell, finals appearance-less) Wolves and Wild were once again brushed aside, so some other team that isn't from Minnesota can win a championship.

Each found their own way to add to our state's big 4 misery.

The Wild, in the 2nd round for the first time since 2015, faced the Colorado Avalanche, league leaders in points, and generally believed to be the NHL's best. 

The Wolves faced the San Antonio Spurs, led by a very tall man named Victor Wembanyama.

Neither team was the favorite. It's perfectly fair to say both were playing better teams. Both teams had their major injury issues. Doesn't make the results any less frustrating.

The Wild got handled twice in Colorado, then won convincingly back here in game 3. They gave a poor effort in game 4 to be put in a 3-1 hole. 

Playing for their season in game 5 in Denver, they roared to a 3-0 1st period lead. It was still long odds, but who could blame fans for dreaming of getting a game 6 at home, to  force a game 7 (weird things happen in game sevens)? 

But the Wild instead had one of those collapses that instantly become part of Minnesota sports lore. They still led 3-1 deep into the 3rd, but then gave up one empty net goal, followed by another with under 2 minutes to play. Then the inevitable Avalanche OT game winner came (at least it was quick) and the Wild were done. Given the stakes and the lead, I gotta think this is the worst loss in the largely pathetic quarter century of this franchise.

As for the Wolves, few thought going in that they had any chance against the Spurs, because Anthony Edwards was not expected to even be able to play until MAYBE a few games into the series.

But Edwards was right there for game 1, a surprise win on the road. Again, who could blame fans for dreaming?

Even a blowout loss in game 2 wasn't so bad, cause we had home court. But then the Wolves never recovered from an awful start to game 3 and lost that one. 

The Wemby ejection in game 4 could have been a turning point. But the Wolves, even though they did eventually come back to win that game, struggled a lot with Wemby out, indicating that even though the series was 2-2, they weren't going to be able to do this. 

Game 5 on the road featured a mid-game rally to make it a game, but the final ended lopsided. Still, we got game 6 at home, and hey, maybe you handle business and put a young team in a pressure-packed game 7. And weird things happen in game sevens.

Faced with this opportunity, the Wolves were blown off the Target Center floor from the jump, trailing by almost 40 points at one juncture, and ultimately losing so badly that the benches were emptied with half the 4th quarter to play. 3rd straight season the Wolves were eliminated in a blowout. 

So we got the gut-wrenching loss and the embarrassing loss. You can choose which one is preferable, but both end up with teams in the same spot.

Once again, we are told to pat our boys on the head for trying, for just running into better teams. I don't even live or die with these two teams, but I know I'm sick of this shit.

Each team had injuries. So what? Are we only ever winning a championship with 100% health? Is Joel Eriksson Ek THAT irreplaceable? Was Donte DiVincenzo THAT valuable? Win the fucking games. Teams have won super bowls with backup quarterbacks. I don't want to hear that winning in the playoffs is simply unthinkable without players who aren't even all stars.

Oh but the Avs and Spurs are just TOO good. Nobody could beat them! Bullshit. Top NHL teams lose in the playoffs all the time. Upsets are a little rarer in the NBA, but they happen. The Warriors team that won 73 didn't win a title. Jordan didn't win a title every year. Throwing your hands up and acting like you just couldn't ever have won these series is ridiculous.

Going forward, the Wild are in the better spot. Star players in their prime (although Kaprizov better earn his league-highest salary), good young goalie. Work to do, but you can see a future where deep playoff runs are possible.

As for the Wolves, whether you think the Spurs and Thunder (who dispatched us easily last year) are both these invincible dueling dynasties or not, it's clear this version of the Wolves is not going to win a title. Edwards might be the guy, but he needs another guy, and that guy is not currently on the Wolves roster. 

We probably had that guy in KAT, but we traded him in that so-called fleecing. Well, funny, the Knicks are in a 2nd straight conference finals while we are done. 

Julius Randle has had moments the last 2 years, but was a complete disaster when the Wolves needed him the most against the Spurs. Rudy Gobert is limited on offense. Jaden McDaniels looked to maybe be ascending to that co-star role, but the Spurs series dampened that. You might keep Ayo Dosunmu, but he's not a star that way. 

I suppose you could just wait out the probable (but not confirmed) move to the eastern conference when expansion comes, but who's to say some team over there won't emerge and be just as good as OKC or SA? 

Do something. Cause we have arrived at a point where these two teams are both positioned to stay playoff regulars for years to come. And I'm tired of praising other teams as too good, and seeing a conference finals as the ceiling.