DES MOINES, Iowa — It was a big night for the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday as they pulled out a win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, avoiding a sweep and bringing the matchup back to the Twin Cities.
It's still going to be an uphill battle for Minnesota, who will now have to win three straight to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. But win or lose, their playoff success is generating some excitement for the Iowa Wolves.
"I think the fan base here in Des Moines has been craving for this," said Iowa Wolves Director of Ticket Sales Alex Barker.
"It's definitely a minor league town. It's definitely a collegiate town," Barker added. "Now to have an NBA team to put their ties to, we're grateful that it's the Minnesota Timberwolves and we hope to continue that brand growth here in Des Moines for the years to come."
Minnesota already has big connections to Iowa. At least half of their roster is former Iowa Wolves players, including G League MVP and Iowa Hawkeye legend Luka Garza.
Naz Reid, Josh Minott and Leonard Miller also spent time in Iowa.
Plus, Timberwolves point guard Monte Morris played for the Iowa State Cyclones.
"It's been a lot of fun to watch that growth, seeing these players go from where they are and maturing in their sport and being able to excel (in the NBA)," said Joe Kocinski, a proud Iowa Wolves fan and season ticket holder.
The Timberwolves have been led by rising star Anthony Edwards. According to NBA Public Relations, the young guard has generated over 100 million social impressions since the start of the playoffs, the second most in the league.
Edwards was never a G League player, but plenty of players on the Minnesota roster have spent time in Iowa's capital city.
"There's a lot of talent down here that are just trying to get up to the NBA and you know, if you watch the G League game, (there's a) good chance you're going to see a few players later in an NBA game," said the Media Relations Coordinator for the Wolves, John Meyer.
While Edwards probably will never play for the Iowa Wolves, his team will play a preseason game at Wells Fargo Arena against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, Oct. 11.
"The demand is at an all-time high," Barker said. "The phones are ringing all day every day. And we're getting limited on inventory, which is a great situation to be in."
To sign up for priority access to purchase single-game tickets to the preseason game, click here.
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