It's a moment two decades in the making and downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota Timberwolves fans, and the state of Minnesota is ready for it.
The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Dallas Mavericks in Game One of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night.
"Your team's in it, you're super happy," said Lyon's Pub General Manager, Ray Rodgers. "All you want to do is hang out with your friends, have fun, and enjoy."
Lyon's Pub is among other downtown Minneapolis bars, restaurants, and businesses that have benefited from the Timberwolves deep run in the NBA playoffs.
"Everybody is in great spirits," Rodgers said. "If you're not jacked-up about this, you just don't have a pulse, I guess. It gives flashbacks to the World Series in 1987 and 1991 that kind of put the city on the map. A really big vibe. I think everything is great."
The Timberwolves clinched the organization's third consecutive playoff appearance in April and have not looked back since then. Minnesota won its first playoff series since the 2003-04 season with a 4-0 series victory over the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference quarterfinals.
It took all seven games, but the Timberwolves then went on to beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Tickets for the Western Conference Finals sold out in the matter of minutes.
"They were gone quick," Timberwolves COO Ryan Tanke told WCCO Radio's Jason DeRusha on Tuesday afternoon. "We knew this was a tremendous basketball market. We've had windows in the past where you could see the fanbase and bubbling enthusiasm. I think what surprised me the most this year was the engagement overall. Even in the regular season there were games where it felt like everybody in building was wearing a hat, jersey, or shirt. The overall fervor, there's an intensity to it that's amazing."
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey talked with WCCO Radio's Vineeta Sawkar on Wednesday morning about what the Wolves playoff run has meant for the city.
"The whole city, the whole state, is rallying around the Timberwolves right now," Frey said. "Certainly since my time here, I have not seen so many people follow the sport or get so excited about it."
Wednesday night's game is the first since Anthony Edwards' viral 'Bring ya ass' comment following Sunday's game seven victory in Denver.
"I'm going to bring my ass to Target Center tonight," Frey said. "It's something that as soon as he said it, I knew it was going to take off. He's got something special. In addition to being a basketball that looks like he's straight out of video game, he's likeable, charismatic, and I think people want to go along with it."
Wednesday's game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff on TNT.
As part of the festivities, the Timberwolves are hosting watch parties at nearly a dozen downtown bars and restaurants. There's also the "Wolves Back' Block Party ahead of Game Two on Friday. That will take place outside of Gluek’s Bar & Restaurant starting at 4 p.m.