minnesota timberwolves history
minnesota timberwolves history
Minnesota Timberwolves new head coach Dwayne Casey will be depending heavily on forward Kevin Garnett. Minnesota Timberwolves ticket holders will be watching closely to see if Garnett can maintain his streak of finishing first or second in games played, rebounds, and field goals. If Garnett can come through the Timberwolves will be in a good position to challenge for Northwest Division Championship and a spot in the NBA playoffs.
The Timberwolves joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1989, bringing Minnesota a professional basketball team for the first time in 20 years. A 22-60 record in the expansion franchise’s first year was expected. After three losing seasons, Minnesota got a shot in the arm when they drafted Christian Laettner. Though Laetnerr gave fans with Timberwolves tickets their money’s worth with a respectable rookie season, the team still finished with a dismal 19-63 record.
Things began to change when Kevin McHale took over at the end of the ‘98 season. His pick of Kevin Garnett, along with the selection of point guard Stephon Marbury solidified the roster in 1996. In 1997, Marbury, Laetner, and Tom Gugliotta gave the Timberwolves their first playoff appearance. The first winning season came the following year, as the Timberwolves won 45 games and earned their second straight playoff berth.
Minnesota hit the 50 win mark in 2001, but once again failed to get past the first round of the playoffs. A 51 win season the next year ended in frustration as the Wolves were once again eliminated in the first round, this time by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Determined to get past the initial round of the playoffs, Timberwolves management brought in Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell, and Michael Olowakandi to bolster the roster. The move paid off in a big way. The T-Wolves, led by Garnett, won 58 games and finally rewarded their fans with a first-round playoff series win over the Denver Nuggets and a second-round win over the Sacramento Kings. The season ended in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
In all, the Timberwolves have eight playoff appearances to their credit, along with a division championship in 2004, and a Western Conference Finals spot in 2004. Kevin Garnett was also awarded the NBA’s MVP Award in 2004.
Getting Minnesota Timberwolves tickets back on top of the NBA heap may be a challenge, but it’s certainly not out of the question. If first-year head coach Bob Weiss can mesh the youth and veteran talent he’s been given, the Target Center may be hosting an NBA playoff game sooner than anyone thinks. In that case, Minnesota Timberwolves tickets will be worth their weight in gold.
