In 1960, the Minneapolis Lakers packed their short shorts, set shots and Chuck Taylors and moved to Los Angeles.
A mere 63 years later, Minnesota basketball fans can begin the recovery process.
Thursday night at Target Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves faced the carpet-bagging Lakers at Target Center, and in a rare and historic moment, could offer proof that they have the better team and the better plan.
While the Wolves have spent much of their history competing to be the worst franchise in the history of major American professional sports, the L.A. Lakers have become synonymous with bling — championship rings and celebrity jewelry flashing for the courtside cameras. At least the Wolves had that one guy who slapped his program on the court.
Even the Wolves' one superior season — their playoff run in 2004 — ended in a six-game loss in the Western Conference finals to the Lakers.
Thanks to the Wolves' excellence this season, for once a head-to-head comparison between the teams doesn't leave older Minnesotans feeling nostalgic about Slater Martin tossing a lob pass to George Mikan.
Start with the obvious. The Wolves couldn't wait to get rid of D'Angelo Russell, whom they benched during a playoff series. The Lakers eagerly accepted him…then benched him during a playoff series.
Russell is playing at a career-worst level this month, and the Wolves traded him for two of the top eight players on a team that has the best record in the Western Conference: point guard and leader Mike Conley, and the valuable Nickeil Alexander-Walker.