Kevin Garnett returns to Target Center, Lynx gear up for draft night

INTERVIEWER: The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans in their final game of the regular season last night, but for many fans, the main event was sitting courtside.

ANNOUNCER: Target Center, he's back! Make some noise and give a warm welcome back to the big ticket, Kevin Garnett!

[CHEERING]

INTERVIEWER: Kevin Garnett returned to the Target Center for the first time in eight years. The MVP played for Minnesota for 12 years, starting in 1995 and again in 2015 for his final year before retirement. He's beloved among many Wolves fans, but he kept his distance from the team for years due to a sour relationship with former owner Glenn Taylor. Now that the franchise is under new ownership, KG has signed on as a team ambassador, and the Wolves plan to retire his number 21 Jersey. Joining me with more about the Wolves and other Minnesota sports news are our sports contributors, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson. Hi, guys.

ERIC NELSON: Hey, how are you today?

INTERVIEWER: I'm good. Happy Monday. So, Wally, tell me about how the Wolves are looking heading into the playoffs this weekend.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, I mean, they got off with a win yesterday, really, a meaningless win against New Orleans. The game had no implications towards the postseason at all. So they played their bench, basically. They played guys that don't normally play, and they ended up winning the basketball game.

But that's neither here nor there. The big thing, I think, is that I believe they're going into the playoffs healthy. Now, they are going in against a Denver team, the Nuggets, who have now won 12 straight games, including a win yesterday over the San Antonio Spurs, 128 to 118, to clinch that third spot. So they're on a roll, the Denver Nuggets are. And this'll be the third time in four years that these two teams have played in the postseason, Denver winning one series, Minnesota winning the other. And so this will be the tiebreaker, if you will, between the Nuggets and the Timberwolves.

They will play on Saturday afternoon. They'll start the series Saturday afternoon at 2:30 in Denver at Ball Arena. And it's only available on Amazon Prime, that particular game, it's a whole different package as far as watching games on television this year now. The regional sports networks are not involved in the first-round matchups like they have been for years, but that's no longer the case. You have to watch it on Amazon Prime.

By the way, the Nuggets played all three of their Minnesotans yesterday, Apple Valley's Tyus Jones, Hopkins' Zeke Nnaji, and Breck's David Roddy. They each got at least 20 minutes. As I mentioned, they beat the Spurs. And they were basically saving all of their regulars in that game, but they still managed to beat San Antonio.

So it's on to the playoffs for the Timberwolves. And yes, KG, Kevin Garnett, is back as an ambassador. So it's all good for Minnesota. Let's see if they can win some basketball games. I think that's the most important thing, and see if Anthony Edwards is healthy and Jaden McDaniels is healthy. They're going to need those two at 100% If they're going to beat Denver. That's for sure.

INTERVIEWER: Yeah, maybe KG brings some luck, with hope.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yes, let's hope so. Yeah.

INTERVIEWER: Yeah. Eric, the WNBA-- so we'll go that way-- draft is tonight. Many Lynx fans nervous after several players left during free agency. So what can you tell us about the roster going into the draft tonight?

ERIC NELSON: Yeah. And by the way, Kelly, it was common back in the day to see Kevin Garnett go to Lynx games. He would sit there courtside and support the Minnesota Lynx. So I'm guessing he will be back this coming spring and summer for Minnesota Lynx basketball.

But the WNBA draft is tonight at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City. And Minnesota has the second pick in the draft, right behind the Dallas Wings. So the Lynx should get another impact player. Potential choices, Azzi Fudd out of Yukon a shooting guard. She's an elite 3-point shooter. She was the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2025.

Olivia Miles, a point guard from TCU. Now, she's a multi-talented player. Averages almost a triple-double per game. Great court vision. Awa Fam Thiam from Spain is a center. They say she has a very high ceiling.

Another center-- and the Gophers found out how good Lauren Betts is when they faced off against UCLA in the Sweet 16. She's 6' 7". She's a dominant paint presence and was a key player for the Bruins, who won the NCAA Women's Final four championship. Another person that could end up in Minnesota is also UCLA guard Kiki Rice, described as a playmaker. And she did a lot of fabulous things for the UCLA Bruins on their way to winning their first ever NCAA Championship.

Now, you mentioned free agency. That starts today in the WNBA. So the Lynx resigned Courtney Williams. She gets a two-year max deal. Kayla McBride also resigned. Two-year contract. And they bring in Natasha Howard on another two-year deal.

And how about this? Nia Coffey, whose brother is Amir. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. And she's the daughter of Richard Coffey, who was a Gopher legend back in the day with those great Clem Haskins teams. And another Lynx note-- Napheesa Collier's going to be in Sports Illustrated's 2026 swimsuit issue, along with two other female athletes. They had a photo shoot down at Captiva Island in Fort Myers, Florida. So Napheesa Collier is- she's everywhere.

Yeah, that's very true. That's very true. And of course, it is now, especially with the severe weather today, feeling more and more like summer, so let's talk about the Twins a little bit. Wally, what's the latest with their season? It seems like maybe things are looking up?

WALLY LANGFELLOW: All right. Are you ready?

INTERVIEWER: I'm trying to be.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: OK, are you ready? The Minnesota Twins have the best record in the American League.

INTERVIEWER: Stop.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Are you sitting down?

INTERVIEWER: Well, luckily, I am, because-- and I'm going to take this a little bit of sports knowledge home to my teenage boys.

WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yeah, it is true. The Twins enter play tonight against the Red Sox having tied Cleveland for the best record in the American League. I know it's early, but hey, you know what? Small sample size, but let's take what we can get because last year was a disaster. And when they traded everybody off at the trade deadline last year, everybody was down on the Twins, and what's going to happen?

Well, what's happened so far is particularly that homestand against Detroit last week-- they swept four games from the Tigers, which is not easy, to win four games from anybody. And then they go to Toronto, the defending American League champions, who just barely lost the World Series to Eric's Dodgers. And they take two out of three, including an 8-2 win yesterday.

Taj Bradley was on the mound yesterday for the Twins. He pitched five innings. He's been very good for Minnesota so far. And he's a guy that came to the Twins, yes, in that fire sale of trades that went on last July 31. So he was traded for Griffin Jax. So Griffin Jax goes to Toronto. And this guy comes here, and he has-- he's been really good. So we'll take Taj Bradley, or actually went to-- excuse me, went to Tampa.

But point being is that the Minnesota Twins are playing good baseball right now. They win 8-2 yesterday Tristan. Gray, subbing for the oft injured Royce Lewis. Hit a three-run home run. And it's looking up right now. They beat up Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who was on the mound for Toronto yesterday. So all smiles for the Minnesota Twins right now. Let's hope they can keep it going.

INTERVIEWER: I was going to say, Eric, do you have any thoughts on the Twins? What's next for them?

ERIC NELSON: Yeah, absolutely. Well, it's going to be a week of red here in Minnesota. How about the Red Sox for three games starting tonight, and then the Reds from Cincinnati over the weekend? So Boston comes in 6 and 9 record, off to a slow start. But they're only two games out of first place in a very bunched up AL East. The Twins, as Wally mentioned-- 9 and 7. They're on top of the American League.

Tonight, Garrett Crochet throws for the Red Sox, Bailey Ober for Minnesota. Boston won yesterday, 9 to 3 against the Cardinals in St. Louis. And a couple of offensive players- if you're going out to the ballpark to see any of these games, Wilyer Abreu is Boston's best hitter, 339 average, three taters. That's tied with Willson Contreras for the club lead.

And when the Red Sox come to Minnesota, that's usually a big deal. But it all depends on when you get Boston. Playing them on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, mid-April School's still in session. I don't what the crowds are going to be. But I hope somebody shows up tonight because the Twins, right now, have proven they're worth watching. So you can get in for as cheap as $7, by the way, $5 if you're a student.

INTERVIEWER: Yep. that's fantastic. Thanks so much guys. We'll talk to you next time.