The night started with emotions riding high at the Target Center. And it ended that way as well.
The team honored Flip Saunders with a tribute featuring interviews with players, coaches and friends around the league. During the program, it was easy to see just how much impact Saunders had on his players.
Wolves rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns admitted to crying throughout the whole thing.
“I was emotionally drained,” Towns said. “... I just tried to use my energy in a good way.”
And that the whole team did early on.
The Wolves used that emotion to their advantage early in the first quarter, jumping out to a 17-point lead at one point.