Let’s be honest: if you’ve been a Timberwolves fan for more than a couple seasons, you walked into Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena carrying some serious baggage. We’re not just talking about the standard Minnesota sports trauma, we’re talking full-on U-Haul trailer of heartbreak. The kind with a spare tire labeled 2003 and a broken axle marked 2004.
Twenty-two years ago, Kevin Garnett and a scrappy band of Wolves tried to slay the Lakers dragon. We all remember that series. The Shaq-and-Kobe Lakers came in as a five-seed, looking beatable on paper. The Wolves even grabbed a 2-1 lead, fueled by Troy Hudson’s temporary possession by the spirit of Ray Allen.