NBA: T'Wolves Win Sixth Straight, Remember Sealy

Kevin Garnett flies through the air after receiving a magnificent pass from Todd Day, what results is an emphatic slam-dunk that sends the Target Center crowd into ecstasy.

In an attempt to quell the crowd, Portland takes a timeout. As they do this, the NBC cameras zoom in on Garnett, It was then that something caught my eye,

A small black patch on the right of his jersey which shown the number two.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have won six straight games. The Timberwolves are playing what is arguably their best basketball of the season.

During this streak, the Wolves have defeated, among others, the Jazz and the Suns. Minnesota is showing the NBA that despite the obstacles it has faced this season, namely, the tragic passing of Malik Sealy, and the illegal contract negotiations with Joe Smith, which have led to the departure of the former #1 pick from the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

As a result of the illegal activity involving Smith, VP of Player Operations Kevin McHale has been forced to take a leave of absence. I feel that McHale is one of the many people who took T’Wolves to the next level, and I was unsure how Minnesota would respond when faced with these obstacles.

Well, it hasn’t always been pretty, and it hasn’t always been easy, but sometimes none of that matters, all that matters is victory. Lately, that phrase has described Minnesota, they have been just that, victorious. In beating the Trailblazers, they have defeated the team with the best record in the Western Conference.

It is my view that this Timberwolves team is the best in franchise history. I say this because not only does this team have the basketball skills, they have something much harder to attain, character. In addition to this, the Wolves are playing a high-energy brand of basketball that is so exciting, it’s almost scary.

In winning their sixth straight game, the Wolves are one victory away from equaling the longest winning streak in team history. Next Wednesday, Minnesota faces the Los Angeles Lakers, and it is the author’s opinion that this will be quite a game indeed.

I recently purchased a book by author John Feinstein called The Last Amateurs. This book opens with the quote, which is found on a plaque in the lobby at the Philadelphia Palestra:

"To Play the Game is Great, To Win The Game is Greater, But the Love for the Game is the Greatest of All."

The Minnesota Timberwolves are playing great, they are winning, but most importantly, I think they love the game right now.

This team has been through a lot, but despite it all, they are better then they have been in a long time. I have been a Timberwolves fan for about a decade, and I have never seen a team this exciting, this poised, simply, This good.

This is a team whose character and skills will take them deep into the post-season.

To those who grace the floor in remembrance of their fallen teammate -- his number stitched intricately on each uniform -- I have two words:

Go Wolves.