Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are a National Basketball Association team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Founded: 1989

Formerly known as:

Uniform colors: Black, Blue, White, Green, and Grey

Logo design: A snarling wolf rising from a green forest, the words "MINNESOTA" (in small type) and "TIMBERWOLVES" (in large type) below

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Franchise history

NBA Championships: None

NBA Finals: None

NBA Confernce Finals: None

Division Champions: 2004 Midwest

Playoff Appearences: (8) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

Best Season: 2003/04 (58-24) Worst Season: 1991/92 (15-67)

The Timberwolves made their debut on November 3, 1989 losing to the Seattle SuperSonics on the road 106-94. Five days later they would make their home debut at the Metrodome losing to the Chicago Bulls 96-84. Just two nights later the Wolves would finally get their first win beating the Philadelphia 76ers at home 125-118 on November 10th. The Timberwolves would go on to finish with a 22-60 record while finishing in 6th place in the Midwestern Division, as Tony Campbell led the team with 23.2 ppg. Playing in the cavernous Metrodome the expansion Timberwolves would draw over 1 million fans including the 3rd largest crowd in NBA history at 49,551 on April 17, 1990 that saw the Timberwolves lose to the Denver Nuggets 99-88 in the final home game of the season.

The next season the team moved into the Target Center and won 29 games. They fired their head coach Bill Musselman. The franchise would encounter mediocrity and a near relocation in 1994 before NBA owners rejected the team's move to New Orleans. Glen Taylor bought the team and named Kevin McHale general manager.

In 1995, the Timberwolves selected Kevin Garnett and Flip Saunders became coach. Changes were abound for the Timberwolves as Christian Laettner is traded along with Sean Rooks to the Atlanta Hawks for Andrew Lang and Spud Webb. Also first round pick Donyell Marshall was traded that season for Golden State Warriors' forward Tom Gugliotta, who was earlier traded himself from Washington for Chris Webber The trade paved the way for rookie Kevin Garnett to become the go to player inside. Garnett would go on to average 10.4 ppg in his rookie season as the T-Wolves finished in 5th place with a 26-56 record.

In addition the T-Wolves would find another star player in the draft as they traded with the Milwaukee Bucks for the rights to Stephon Marburry the 4th overall pick. The addition of Marburry would have a positive effect on the entire team, as Kevin Garnett and Tom Gugliotta became the first Wolves to be selected to the All-Star team. Guglotta and Garnett would lead the Timberwolves in scoring as the team made the playoffs for the firs time in franchise history with a record of 40-42. However, in the playoffs the Timberwolves would make a quick exit as they are swept by the Houston Rockets in 3 straight games.

In 1997 Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury established themselves as 2 of the brightest rising stars in the NBA as Garnett averages 18.5 ppg while pulling down 9.6 rebounds per game, while Marbury averages 17.7 ppg, and dishes out 8.6 assists per game. Despite losing leading scorer Tom Gugliota for half the season the Timberwolves would go on to post their first winning season at 45-37 making the playoffs for the 2nd straight season. After dropping Game 1 on the road to the Seattle Supersonics in the playoffs the Timberwolves would earn their first postseason win in Game 2 winning in Seattle 98-93. As the series shifted to Minnesota the Timberwolves would have an opportunity to pull of the upset as they won Game 3 by a score of 98-90. However, the Wolves would drop Game 4 at home as the Sonics went on to win the series in 5 games.

In 1998, A year after signing Kevin Garnett to an unprecedented 6-year $126 million contract, the Timberwolves are used as the poster child of irresponsible spending as the NBA endures a 4-month lockout that wipes out the season. With an already cap heavy payroll the Wolves are forced to let Tom Gugliotta walk away and trade Stephon Marbury fearing both would seek similar deals to Garnett. In the 3-team midseason deal that sent Marbury to the New Jersey Nets the Wolves would get Terrell Brandon in return. The Wolves made the playoffs for the 3rd straight season by finishing in 4th place with a 25-25 record. In the playoffs the Timberwolves were beaten by the San Antonio Spurs in 4 games.

In 1999, the Timberwolves drafed, Wally Szczerbiak. He had a solid season finishing 3rd on the team in scoring with 11.6 ppg. .led by Kevin Garnett who averages 22.9 ppg and 11.8 rebounds per game the Timberwolves enjoy their first 50-win season finishing in 3rd place with a solid record of 50-32. However, in the playoffs the Wolves would fall in the first round again losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in 4 games

Guard Malik Sealy was killed in a car accident in the summer of 2000. Also in that season, a free agent deal signed by Joe Smith is voided by the NBA, who rule the Timberwolves proper procedure in signing the contract, while stripping the T-Wolves of 3 draft picks and fined $3.5 million. Despite the trouble the Wolves would make the playoffs for the 5th straight season with a 47-35 record. However, in the playoffs the Wolves would be eliminated in the first round again by the San Antonio Spurs in 4 games in the spring of 2001.

2002-2003 seemed to look up for the Wolves. Kevin Garnett has his finest season yet as he finishes 2nd in MVP voting while averaging a solid 23.0 ppg and 13.4 rebounds per game as the Timberwolves finish in 3rd place with a solid 51-31 record. With home court advantage for the first time facing the 3-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. After being blown out at home in Game 1 the Timberwolves had a chance to take a 3-1 series lead as they led heading into the 4th quarter of Game 4 in Los Angeles. However, the Lakers would come back to win the game on the way to winning the series in 6 games, as the Timberwolves were eliminated in the first round for the 7th straight year.

In 2003, the Timberwolves made 2 stunning offseason moves, trading away Forward Joe Smith and injured guard Terrell Brandon in a multi-player deal for Ervin Johnson, Sam Casell and embattled guard Latrell Sprewell.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Players of note

Basketball Hall of Famers:

Not to be forgotten:

Retired numbers:

Current stars:

External links