MINNEAPOLIS — There’s a four-way stop in my neighborhood that’s been a defining point in this season of my life.

I’m there almost every day. When I go left, I take my son up the hill to school. We all have an inside joke that we like to tell when we see other kids walking around.

“Their parents shouldn’t love them as much as I love you,” I say. He smiles and chuckles.

These days, when I drop him off in the morning, volunteers walk around and police officers park across the street to watch as ICE descends on the school grounds, just as happens elsewhere in the city. I saw him come in before I left.

Today is Sunday, so school is closed. So this time, on my way to downtown Minneapolis and a Minnesota Timberwolves game, I turn right at an intersection. This is a drive I’ve done to the beat at least 900 times over the past 20+ years.

I try my best not to let the frequencies obscure the good fortune (metaphorically speaking, of course) that has bestowed upon me in this profession. The worst, and perhaps the easiest, thing I could do is to follow the path of Cousin Greg in Succession and follow the path of many of my compatriots, relaxing on a superyacht and unimpressed by this particular brand of rosé.

But it’s hard, especially at drive-ins, to keep this repetition from becoming some sort of mundane routine. I passed a Dairy Queen and a Target, crossed a bridge over the Mississippi River, and wound my way through town, passing dozens of bars, restaurants, breweries, and other stores without a second glance, until I arrived at the Target Center, where I parked at a parking ramp for the night.

Today’s drive is different. Cities are different. Work is different. Everything is different.

A day earlier, the corner by Dairy Queen had been filled with protesters speaking out after federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Preti this weekend. Preti is the second Minnesota resident to be killed by federal agents this month, following Renee Goode on January 7th. Just last week, the Target store had Border Patrol agents stationed throughout the store, and the retailer also Permission suspended Fearing federal agents will be detained, Hispanic employees drive to deliver drive-up orders.

All of these businesses in Northeast and Downtown Minneapolis? Most closed on Friday, the day before Preti was killed, as part of a metro-wide general strike to draw attention to a weeks-long surge in immigration enforcement by the federal government.

On Friday, the same street I walk to the arena was filled with thousands of marchers in tire-deflating cold. frozen pasta. They walked right past the Four Seasons Hotel as Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors watched from their rooms.

The Warriors and Timberwolves were scheduled to play Saturday, but the NBA postponed the game and moved it to Sunday following Preti’s death that morning. This decision was made with the safety of the team and fans in mind, as well as the need for police and medical resources to be congested on game day, which could require a response elsewhere if further protests erupt in the city.

If you arrive at the arena more than two hours before game time, these streets are usually empty. But today, the route was changed because a long stretch of First Avenue, the street that runs directly in front of Target Center, was closed to traffic for another march.

But after I pulled onto Ramp B, parked my car, and walked through the skyway to the arena, things started to feel strangely…normal, if only for a little while. Amid the turmoil of the past few weeks, a basketball game had to be played — 25 out of 365 games in 2026, just one of 82 games.

As the frozen ground shook beneath our feet, everyone came to the arena seeking normalcy, community, and stability. But the juxtaposition of normal and abnormal was overwhelming.

Every game day includes a pregame interview with the head coach. They’re usually dry conversations about that night’s matchup, insider basketball trends from the past few games, and bits of filler material from your local regional sports network’s pregame show.

On Sunday, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, not one to stand on his soapbox and preach about anything other than basketball, issued a heartfelt statement about the impact Preti’s death has had on the team. His voice was trembling and his lips were trembling as he expressed the organization’s condolences to Preeti, his family, and those affected by his death.

““It’s sad to see what’s going on,” Finch said. “On a human level, certainly as someone who takes a lot of pride in being here, I know a lot of the players feel the same way. They all enjoy being here so much, but it’s really tough to see what we’re going through.”

Mr. Kerr provided a distillation of the current news environment, where consumers look for interpretations of the day’s events that fit their ideological or political leanings.

“circle“This is very sad because right now we’re at each other’s throats. We can’t just say, ‘I’m right and they’re wrong,'” Kerr said. This is not possible in the current situation where we are constantly bombarded with news. ” He makes an air quote with his fingers when he says the word “news.”

The players go through their shooting routines on the court just like any other day. Wolves star Anthony Edwards laughs with assistant coaches Chris Hynes and James White. Joe Ingles cracked some jokes in the locker room. The familiarity begins to penetrate deep into the pores.

Then, as in Minnesota’s past 22 home games, the players line up for the “Star-Spangled Banner” and the lights dim. A moment of silence was then held for Pretti, punctuated by “Fk ICE!” When I chant this, I realize that this is something different. Or is it? After all, the same thing happened after Good was murdered earlier this month.

The Minnesota Timberwolves held a moment of silence Saturday for Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents.

(Warning: NSFW language)

🎥 @jrborman13pic.twitter.com/WvWcJrD7kf

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 25, 2026

The game starts out the same way as usual. This is City Edition Uniform Night, where the court and game will be Prince-themed in honor of perhaps Minnesota’s most famous son. There are some ICE-related signs, but there’s no hostility in the air, just hoping for a two-hour reprieve from the chaos outside.

“It’s kind of nice to come here and try to forget everything for a few hours, because otherwise you’re always going to have that problem,” said Roger, a longtime season ticket holder. The Athletic Given the hostile climate, please use only his first name.

Did it feel like a real game?

“Not really,” he said.

As soon as the game starts, you sense that something is wrong.

Before they could blink, the Timberwolves were down 12 wins and 2 losses. They’ve been struggling lately, but this is another level of bad luck. There were seven turnovers in the first six minutes, four of them by Edwards. The Timberwolves have had turnover issues this season, but nothing like this one. 11 turnovers in the first 14 minutes. 13 points in the first 18 minutes. 16 before the end of the first half.

Even though the game was postponed for one day, the arena’s approximately 19,000 seats were filled to capacity. But the crowd can’t seem to muster its usual enthusiasm. Warriors star Draymond Green is public enemy No. 1 in these areas, having tormented Rudy Gobert and former Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns for years. Still, whenever he touches the ball, the fans only give half-hearted boos.

Edwards started eight of 10 games from the field but turned it over eight times. Julius Randle went 3-of-11 after dominating the Warriors in last season’s playoffs. Naz Reid did not score for the first time since November 2022. Jaden McDaniels was 1-of-8 with four turnovers. Donte DiVincenzo misses a wide open layup. The Wolves dunk team performs an acrobatic trampoline slam. I’m wearing an “ICE OUT” T-shirt.

On Sunday, more fans will be holding up signs. (David Berding/Getty Images)

At one point, with the Warriors trailing 38-17 in the third quarter, Kerr approached the Timberwolves veteran and said he was disappointed with the game being played. The atmosphere was extraordinary.

“Honestly, I felt their group was suffering,” Kerr said. “The atmosphere in the stands was one of the strangest and saddest games I’ve ever been to.”

One Timberwolves employee walked the concourse at halftime and said he couldn’t muster the enthusiasm he usually does.

“Nothing feels right,” the employee said. “Our hearts are not in it.”

There were a few boos from the crowd after turnovers and missed shots, but it wasn’t as bearable as it would be under normal circumstances. The Wolves lost 111-85, their fifth straight loss. But the in-person reaction was muted, probably because everyone was in a dire situation together. There was something to be said for being in an arena with 18,000 other fans gnashing your teeth at a stumbling team.

“It was a tough game, but it was nice to feel a little bit of normalcy,” Wolves fan Reid Pifer said. Posted on Reddit.

Nowadays, the word “versus” is pervasive in the Twin Cities. Federal government vs. local government. Protesters vs. Border Patrol. Right vs. Left.

There was a time when Warriors vs. Timberwolves was one of the most heated games in the league. But there was no such edge Sunday evening.

And although there were a few anti-ICE chants and signs here and there, the atmosphere didn’t feel tense. It felt like a bunch of people collectively in need of a break.

“It felt like the weight of the city was carried into the arena on the shoulders of the fans (and players), adding weight to the atmosphere,” said Nicole, another longtime season ticket holder. “That was evidence that what was happening was beyond a temporary ‘distraction’ or ‘escape’.”

The night didn’t go as most of the audience expected, but at least they were there together. There were definitely people of all different political persuasions sitting side by side. they wore the same colors. It’s the same time as rooting for the same players and pulling your hair out when things don’t go your way. That’s what this game offers right now.

Afterwards, some players hinted at weariness from heartbreak and anger right outside the door. Some of them say they need to be better than ever because they don’t want to make excuses.

An NBA game would not solve any of the problems currently facing the Twin Cities. It will not bridge the deep divisions that exist in this country. The only thing this game can do is keep showing up every night and give the community something else to watch besides the antics on their phones and TVs.

No one knows what will happen on Monday. It seems like we only have two can Count on:

1. It’s going to be very cold.

2. The Timberwolves and Warriors will play again.

“Well, yeah,” said Don, the security guard stationed outside the Timberwolves locker room. “See you tomorrow night.”

There aren’t that many. But it’s a start.