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National Basketball Association

Minnesota Timberwolves
Western Conference/Northwest Division

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History of the Timberwolves

After a 30-year absence from the NBA, Minneapolis was again granted entry into the league in the 1989/1990 season and formed the Minnesota Timberwolves.  The wolves finished the season 22-60, the best of the 4 new expansion teams. 

In 1993, after missing out on Shaquille O’Neil in the draft, the Wolves chose Duke Star Christian Laettner to lead the team and promptly finished 29-53.  The 1994 draft brought Isaiah Rider to the team to help Laettner yet the team finished a dismal 20-62 and over the next two seasons, the team would have a combined record of 47-117.

At the end of the 1994/95 season, Wolves GM Jack McCloskey retired opening the door for former University of Minnesota Star and Boston Celtic Superstar Kevin McHale and he quickly made his presence known as he drafted high school phenom Kevin Garnett with the 5th overall pick.  With room for only one dominant low post player, McHale shipped Laettner and Sean Rooks to the Atlanta Hawks for Spudd Webb and Andrew Lang opening up the offense and allowing it to run through Garnett.  The team finished 26-56 though ticket sales were very high for the Target Center.

The Wolves also managed to pick up Stephon Marbury with the 4th overall pick of the 1997 draft and together with Garnett began to make an impact.  The team finished 40-42 and finally made it to the playoffs only to be swept in 4 games by the Houston Rockets.  The 1997/98 season would mark the first winning season for the team as they finished the year 45-37 and entered the playoffs for the second year in a row only to lose to the Seattle Supersonics in 5 games.

Over the next 9 seasons, McHale would try to surround Kevin Garnett with an assortment of players to include Wally Szczerbiak, Malik Sealy, Latrell Spreewell, Sam Cassaell, Michael Olowokandi, Marko Jaric and Ricky Davis and many others.  Nothing could get the team past the second round conference finals.

The Timberwolves have made the playoffs 8 times (1997, 98, 99, 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04) and were the Division Champions once (2004).  They made it to the Conference Finals once (2004). They have had no Hall of Fame Players on their rosters (not including KG whenever he retires) and have only won one team award, NBA MVP for Kevin Garnett in 2004.



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