MINNESOTA BASKETBALL FANS WILL BE FOLLOWING THE TIMBERWOLVES TONIGHT (FRI) AS THEY HEAD TO THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW. A FEW YEARS AGO, MANY FANS WERE DISGUSTED BY THE STATE'S PRO BASKETBALL TEAM. IN EACH OF FOUR STRAIGHT SEASONS THE TIMBERWOLVES STUMBLED TOWARD LOSING THREE TIMES AS MANY GAMES AS THEY WON ... AND - WHEN TEAM OWNERS HAD TROUBLE GAINING A PUBLIC BUYOUT OF THEIR ARENA - THEY ANNOUNCED THE TIMBERWOLVES WOULD MOVE TO NEW ORLEANS. BUT THE WOLVES STAYED UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP AND NOW THEY ARE THE DARLINGS OF FANS WHO HAVE FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN THE TROUBLES OF A FEW YEARS AGO. MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S WILLIAM WILCOXEN HAS THIS REPORT ON THE TIMBERWOLVES' TURNAROUND... TH