Kare11
Timberwolves fans ready for Western Conference Finals
Local bars and restaurants are preparing for another busy week with Timberwolves watch parties.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Corner Bar in Minneapolis is normally considered a Vikings bar.
The bar is about a half-mile from U.S. Bank Stadium, and the bar is usually packed during every home Vikings game.
However, on Sunday night, the bar was filled with different kinds of fans.
“What I saw Sunday night, it was like another Vikings game with how many people showed up, and all the excitement we saw,” owner Bill Murray said after the Wolves punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals.
Timberwolves management approached Murray several weeks ago with the proposal of making the bar an official watch party site during the playoffs. Murray loved the idea, because he himself has been a Wolves fan for decades.
“I was a fan during those (Kevin) Garnett years, and even before that,” Murray said.
He and his staff didn’t know what to expect during the Wolves playoff run this year, they knew the bar would be busy, but they didn’t expect to see hundreds of fans every night.
“It doesn’t really matter if they’re home or away, we see a big turnout. We saw a Friday night crowd on a Sunday night and that’s huge for us,” Murray said.
Owners of Falling Knife Brewery have also embraced the Wolves this season.
“When we started the brewery, one of the intentions we had was to make this a place where you could bring your Wolves fandom out to shine,” co-owner Dan Herman said.
Herman and his business partners have been Timberwolves season ticket holders for years.
He says fans have endured a lot of lean years cheering on the Wolves and that hardship is a big reason why fans are so excited this year.
“It’s been a lot of fun to watch the games with fans – both old and new. Fans who really know this is something special,” Herman said.
Besides watch parties, fans can also catch the games in-person at the Target Center.
As of Monday afternoon, the cheapest ticket available for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was being sold for $380 through a reseller.
The most expensive ticket for Game 1 was more than $2,000.
For those looking to watch from home, according to the NBA, all seven games of the NBA Western Conference Finals will be televised on TNT.
Watch the latest reports from the KARE 11 sports team in our YouTube playlist:
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11’s newscasts. You’ll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
Sergeant Tony Bryand spent 10 months in the Middle East, and never got to see his stepdaughter perform – until Saturday
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — Few things match the mystery of the theater, or the warmth that comes from the holidays. At the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, that warmth was easy to spot Saturday night.
Hundreds gathered to watch the musical White Christmas, but for one person, the show wasn’t the most important part of their evening.
It was who would be there.
“Me and her have had a really good bond since I’ve came into her life,” Sergeant Tony Bryand said.
Sgt. Bryand has been away on deployment in Kuwait for the last 10 months, returning home just in time for the holidays. On stage, his stepdaughter, nine-year-old Jenalia, plays Susan Waverly.
“Me being gone is a big change, really hard on her,” Sgt. Bryand said, choking up. “Hard on me.”
During the preshow announcement, emcee Nancy Nelson walked out, set to announce the start of the show.
Instead, she was interrupted by Jenalia.
“On behalf of the theater, Nancy, we would all like to thank you for all you do!” Jenalia said, surprising Nancy.
“You should have them, and I know someone who wants to give them to you, darling,” Nelson said in response. “Turn around!”
In front of the crowd, Jenalia turned and saw Sgt. Bryand, running into his arms, reuniting the two after months apart.
“He has not seen her on this stage, in this show, but he will tonight!” Nelson said while the two embraced.
Sgt. Bryand sat and watched his stepdaughter perform during the show, the nerves he had conquered, and now reunited for the holidays.
“Gonna give her a memory, gonna give us a memory that we’ll never forget,” he said.
The road conditions were snowy and icy when the crash occurred.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — One man was killed after his truck collided with another vehicle in Inver Grove Heights on Saturday afternoon, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The man was driving up the entrance ramp from Concord Boulevard to northbound Highway 52 when his truck lost control, said the state patrol.
His truck crossed over the northbound lanes of Highway 52 before colliding with another vehicle, said the state patrol.
The road conditions were snowy and icy when the crash occurred.
The state patrol identified the man who died as 74-year-old Willard Pohl of Inver Grove Heights.
The driver of the other vehicle and his five passengers, which included four children, were not injured in the crash.
The Red Bulls were deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield, where they played a role in strengthening defense relationships with partner nations.
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division, known as the “Red Bulls,” has returned home after a 10-month deployment to the Middle East.
On Saturday, the second wave of over 550 Citizen-Soldiers reunited with their families at the division’s headquarters in Arden Hills.
This homecoming follows the first wave of soldiers who returned earlier this week, marking the end of a successful mission that began in February 2024.
The Red Bulls were deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield, where they played a role in strengthening defense relationships with partner nations.
During their deployment, the Red Bulls conducted numerous military-to-military exercises with partner nation forces in the region. They also modernized the division headquarters with top of the line communications equipment. Lieutenant Colonel Jay Hackett, the Infantry Battalion Commander, expressed pride in the unit’s focus and dedication throughout the mission.
“They really took care of the mission, and more importantly, they took care of each other,” Hackett said.
The scene at the Arden Hills headquarters was filled with emotion as families eagerly awaited their loved ones’ return. One soldier, medic Kacie Lou, was greeted with warm embraces from her parents and grandparents. When asked about her first desire upon returning home, she humorously replied, “I want to go eat some tacos.”
Another returning soldier described the surreal feeling of being back, stating, “It’s unexplainable. I feel like I’m in a dream, and I don’t think it’ll really set in until tomorrow morning when I wake up in my own bed.”
The Red Bulls’ return marks another chapter in the division’s rich history of service. With roots dating back to 1856, the Minnesota National Guard has consistently answered the nation’s call, with more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen serving across 58 communities in the state.
