Timberwolves Plan To Honor Flip Saunders At Home Opener

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If you're headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves home opener Monday night, you're strongly encouraged to get to Target Center early.

The Timberwolves host the Portland Trail Blazers at 7 p.m., and the team has made plans to honor Flip Saunders, who died on Sunday at 60 after complications from Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Fans are encouraged to get to their seats early as their will be a pregame video tribute to Saunders.

Team officials said it will feature many of Saunders' friends, former colleagues, teammates, coaches and several voices in the basketball community. The Timberwolves will also unveil a commemorative patch on their jerseys to honor Saunders for the season.

The festivities for the home opener will start early Monday with a free breakfast in the downtown Minneapolis skyway from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. It will include donuts and coffee as well as giveaways and a chance to win tickets to the home opener.

The Target Center doors will open at 5 p.m. Monday for season members and 5:30 p.m. for the general public. The Timberwolves are 1-0 after beating the L.A. Lakers 112-111 Wednesday night.