DLo Doubles Down on Quiet Wolves Fans, Suggests New Tradition to Help

After the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Detroit Pistons at Target Center over the weekend, D’Angelo Russell was asked about Patrick Beverley’s importance to the team. He turned his answer, which began with Beverley’s consistent energy, into a plea to “quiet-ass” Wolves fans.

D’Angelo Russell when asked what the energy Patrick Beverley plays with provides:

“I think the energy more than anything forces guys to want to turn their energy up, compete. It gets our quiet-ass fans involved, too.”

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) February 6, 2022

DLo wants more energy in the building, given how well the squad is playing of late. At 28-25, the Timberwolves are looking more and more like a playoff team as the season moves along. But basketball fans here have been mentally beaten, battered and assaulted by this franchise over two decades of embarrassment.

Russell Can’t Understand

Those who grew up in Minnesota and consider themselves a Timberwolves fan have had few reasons to cheer on their favorite team. Three games over .500 in February isn’t going to turn on a majority of fans who’ve been forced into Wolves impotence for most of two decades.

That was pointed out by Jon Krawczynski, who’s from MN and has covered the Wolves for much of their existence. He wrote a piece in The Athletic on Tuesday, trying to explain to Wolves fans and to Russell where each side is coming from.

DLo Doubles Down

Timberwolves color commentator for Bally Sports North, Jim Peterson, thought both sides could learn a lot from Jon’s article. D’Angelo Russell, however, wasn’t fazed. He doubled down on his ask for Wolves fans to be better and even had a suggestion.

DLo wants the crowd at Target Center to start a new game tradition, in an effort to pump up the energy early in games. He’s asking Wolves fans to stand up from first tip, until the home team scores their first basket.

Hey Jim I’m just challenging our fans to adjust to this special team. If it’s not to much to ask from here on standing until we score to start the game, That would be cool. Love all yaw #Peace https://t.co/YFy1tRyCWq

— D’Angelo Russell (@Dloading) February 8, 2022

As a Minnesota kid who was born in 1989, the same year the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise was founded, I rolled my eyes at Russell’s initial comments over the weekend. He doesn’t understand what we’ve been through.

But on the contrary, I’m impressed by his willingness to double down. At the end of the day, what happened in the past doesn’t matter when you think about the rest of this season. DLo knows what we all do. Loud home crowds can make a big difference on any given night. Naturally, he wants that home-court advantage as games start to matter more and more down the stretch.

Consider Me Impressed

I’ll also give him credit for working to find a solution. Way too many people complain without any solution in mind. But Russell didn’t just complain. He took a step forward in trying to help fix the quiet situation with a plausible ask of fans at Target Center.

So, I guess the ball is in the court of Target Center fans. The Wolves next home game is Tuesday, February 15 vs Charlotte at 7 PM. We’ll see how they react.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan