
Timberwolves fan becomes unexpected part of Game 4 in crucial final moments: ‘Smart’
NY Post
This fan pulled the reverse Steve Bartman.
A likely Timberwolves fan sitting courtside Monday night caught a ball that went out of bounds to give the Timberwolves a chance at a final shot with 0.3 seconds remaining in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
It’s possible the game could have ended had the fan not pulled a Justin Jefferson and interjected himself with a nice catch, but it went for naught with the Timberwolves turning the ball over on the inbounds pass in the 128-126 loss to the Thunder that now has Minnesota in a 3-1 series hole.
Thunder star and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to call the fan “smart” for his actions in a video posted by ESPN.
It’s generally accepted that fans are going to do what they can on balls in the stands to help their teams, although those Yankees fans who tried to wrestle Mookie Betts clearly took it a little too far.
Bartman will forever be remembered for interfering with a foul ball that hurt the Cubs in their NLCS loss to the Marlins in 2003, though the team’s 2016 title has helped nullify that pain.

Suddenly, someone had hit a rewind button and everyone had been transported back seven months. It was early spring instead of late fall, it was broiling hot outside the arena walls and not freezing cold. Everyone was back at TD Garden. There were 19,156 frenzied fans on their feet begging for blood, poised for the kill.












