The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#-1 (tied): Timberwolves and Wild (Last Week, respectively: -1 and -2).  It feels as though these two teams, whose schedules will always line up, will be compared with each other with much more scrutiny this postseason.  Don't know why; it's just vibes.  With that in mind, I find it hard to separate these two.  I can say, definitively, that these two tower over the other local teams for the Week because both teams are two Games into their First Round playoff series (talk about twinsies), they played both contests on the road and, at least temporarily, have overcome the damnation of being Twin Cities sports teams by winning one Game.

The Timberwolves wound up the 6-Seed and are playing The Bastard Minneapolis Lakers.  Los Angeles is the 3-Seed, but they were only one Game better than the Timberwolves, so this series, at least on paper, is even.  Well, it wasn't even in Saturday's Game 1.  The Wolves annihilated L.A., 117-95.  Luka Doncic was not able to have his way with the T-Wolves the way he did when he was with Dallas last postseason.  And Minnesota didn't let Doncic nor LeBron James pass their way into Points.  Los Angeles just tied up the series with last/Tuesday night's 94-85 Win in Game 2.  The scoring that seemed to come at will for the Timberwolves in Game 1 dried up in Game 2.  Still, they somewhat battled back, and they have home-court advantage as they play Games 3 and 4 at Target Center Friday and Sunday.  If the Wolves prevent any role players for L. A. to erupt, they might be able to take control.

Meanwhile, the Wild went opposite to the Timberwolves.  They dropped Game 1 in Las Vegas Sunday, 4-2 with an Empty Net Goal at the buzzer.  Minnesota, however, came out guns a-blazin' last/Tuesday night, jumping out to a 4-0 lead four Minutes into the Second Period before hanging on for dear life and taking Game 2, 5-2.  Matt Boldy scored in this Game after tallying both Wild Goals Sunday; he obviously is having a great series so far.  It is easier for the road team to win in playoff hockey than playoff basketball, but if you asked me which of the two local pro teams could spring the upset, I didn't think it would be the Wild because, frankly, I didn't they had the team to do it.  Still might not; (Las) Vegas now gets the privilege of being the road team as Games 3 and 4 of this series is played at The Xcel Energy Center tomorrow/Thursday and Saturday.  But Minnesota has home-ice advantage for now, and I didn't think they were going to be able to pull that off.

#-3: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -3).  I was inveighing in last Week's survey that I did not put the University of Minnesota baseball team in the top spot even though they went unbeaten.  Honestly, if they were able to run the table this screening Week, I probably still wouldn't put them up top because of the importance of what the Timberwolves and Wild did.  Sorry.  Has to be said that they got doubled up at Rutgers in Sunday's getaway Game, 12-6, ending their winning streak at nine, which concluded with a midweek doubling up of South Dakota St. Wednesday at Siebert, then defeating the Scarlet Knights Friday, 3-2, and Saturday ... well, wouldn't you know, doubling them up, 8-4.

They are still mired in mediocrity overall, but you can't deny they're playing a lot better.  Don't know if that will continue when they host my alma mater over the weekend.  I am really busy, but I think I can catch one Game.

#-4: United FC (Last Week: -4).  I made the decision to see the Kendrick Lamar/SZA concert at U. S. Bank Stadium, which was Saturday night at around the same time as the Loons' matchup with FC Dallas.  (Aside: I think this is at least the second time I decided not to go to a home Match against FCD.  Purely coincidence.  Oh, I should add that I wouldn't have gone to the concert if this wasn't the kickoff stop for the tour.  I'm not a huge fan of Kendrick Lamar or SZA.  But it was a very visually arresting concert, even if my seat was in, of all places, the press box, which was in the far corner from the stage.  And I paid $145 for it!)  Don't think I missed much; they wound up tied at 0.  The Hoops aren't a bad side, but if Minnesota United could've just notched one Goal, they would surpass Austin for second place in the West all by themselves.  One MLS writer believes that opposing squads have finally caught up to what Eric Ramsay wants to do offensively.

Nevertheless, United FC have a big one Sunday afternoon, which is a postponement because their next tilt was supposed to happen Saturday night.  However, Vancouver has been busy with the CONCACAF Champions Cup; they play Inter Miami tomorrow/Thursday night, so the contest against the Loons was pushed back a Day because it looks as though there is a worldwide standard minimum of three Days (though not necessarily 72 Hours) between soccer Matches.  Nonetheless, despite the hectic schedule the Whitecaps have right now, they're sitting in first place in the Western Conference, so this showdown between first and (technically) third in the West should be one to look forward to.

#-5: Twins (Last Week: -5).  I finished watching the comedy block of St. Denis Medical and Night Court when I absentmindedly started flipped channels on my TV.  I go down to Channel 9 -- and I see the Twins playing the White Sox.  And then I remembered -- several Twins Games are going to be on over-the-air TV for the first time in decades.  This is a good thing!

And better than that, the Twins won.  Unfortunately, that finishes up a 2-3 screening Week where the two victories (it started off with that 4-3 Win over the Mets at Target Field that I went to and whose ending I missed, dammit) sandwich a weekend sweep courtesy of The Bastard Boston-by-way-of-Milwaukee Braves in Atlanta.  Only the White Sox and Colorado have worse records than the Twinks' 8-15.  But Minnesota gets to host the Pale Hose twice more before Mike Trout and The Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Angels Of Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Angels Of ... come to town for a weekend trio.  They then strike out to play at Cleveland for four beginning Monday.

#-6: Gopher softball (Last Week: -6).  Yeah, this might end up being the worst local team of the first half of the Year.  Dropped the first two Games over the weekend at Madison versus Wisconsin before taking the getaway Game (which was played on Monday; this was a Saturday-to-Monday series, for some reason), 10-4.

The Gophers, 15-28 overall and 4-15 in the Big Ten, continue conference play vs. B1G foe Pittsburgh ... wait a second ... Pittsburgh isn't in the Big Ten!  But it looks as though the Panthers are coming to Cowles Stadium for a two-Game series Friday night and Saturday afternoon.  Not only that, they will play another two-Game series over the weekend, vs. North Dakota St., and those Games will take place Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon!  Four Games over three Days against two teams in one venue?  Well, that happens frequently during the non-conference part of the schedule, but not this far into the season, and not against two teams out-of-conference.  I have to go that Saturday afternoon Game just to see Pittsburgh.  When will they come back up here again?