The Minnesota Timberwolves are finally back in the playoffs, so it’s the perfect time to reflect on the best postseason games in franchise history.
The wait is finally over, ladies and gentlemen.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2004, ended what was the longest playoff drought in the NBA. They will face off against the Houston Rockets in a best-of-seven series beginning on Sunday evening.
There will never be a better time to take a look at the five most memorable playoff games in team playoff history. There aren’t a ton to choose from, but Kevin Garnett and Co. absolutely gave us a few to enjoy.
Let’s take a look…
1997 First Round, Game 3: First playoff home game in franchise history
In the first home playoff game in Timberwolves franchise history, Minnesota lost to the Houston Rockets by a score of 125-120 and were swept 3-0 in a five-game series, but it was still a very memorable moment for the fans and organization.
Tom Gugliotta lead the Wolves with 27 points and chipped in 10 rebounds while Dean Garrett had 26 points and 15 rebounds. Kevin Garnett had 17 points and seven rebounds and rookie Stephon Marbury had 14 points and 13 assists.
For the series, KG averaged 17.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 37 assists per game in his first taste of playoff action. Ultimately, Garnett would play in a whopping 143 career playoff games and put up 18.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.2 steals per game.
1998 First Round, Game 3: First home playoff win in franchise history
Wolves defeated the Seattle SuperSonics by a score of 98-90 for their first playoff home win in franchise history. The victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the series before losing the next two games and being eliminated.
Anthony Peeler led the Wolves with 20 points while making four of seven 3-point attempts. Kevin Garnett had 19 points and eight rebounds and Stephon Marbury had 14 points and 11 assists.
The Sonics were led by Gary Payton‘s 26 points, six rebounds, and five assists. They only had three other players in double-figures, with Vin Baker (17 points), Detlef Schrempf (16), and Jerome Kersey (12) joining Payton.
1998 First Round, Game 2: First playoff game win in franchise history
After losing Game One to the SuperSonics, the Wolves won their first playoff game in franchise history in Seattle by a final score of 98-93.
Stephon Marbury led the Wolves with 25 points and seven rebounds, Terry Porter had 21 points, Sam Mitchell had 18, and Kevin Garnett tallied 15 in the victory. The next time out, they took a 2-1 series lead by notching their first ever home playoff game win.
The Wolves only played seven players in the game, with Tom Hammonds and Michael Williams as the sixth and seventh men that saw action. The Sonics saw Gary Payton score 32 points but take 25 shots to do it, while Detlef Schrempf’s 15 points were second-highest on the team.
2004 First Round, Game 5: First playoff series win for the Timberwolves
After getting knocked out of the first round in an NBA record seven consecutive seven seasons, the Wolves finally advanced with a 102-91 win over the Denver Nuggets to win the series by a 4-1 margin.
Kevin Garnett had 28 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, while Sam Cassell had 26 points and Latrell Sprewell had 19. Nobody else on the Wolves roster scored more than eight points despite nine players seeing the floor. The Nuggets were led by Andre Miller and Nene, who each scored 21 points.
It was a long time coming for Minnesota as they advanced to face the Sacramento Kings in the first-ever second-round game for the franchise.
2004 Semifinals, Game 7: A thriller for the ages
This one is a no-brainer.
After advancing past the first round for the first time in franchise history, the Wolves beat the Sacramento Kings by a score of 83-80 to win the series in seven games and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
League MVP Kevin Garnett had 32 points, 21 rebounds, five blocks and four steals on his 28th birthday as he helped lead the Wolves to victory. Sam Cassell 23 points and seven assists.
Next: DWW Roundtable: Previewing Timberwolves vs. Rockets
Wolves fans: is there another thriller or two in store in the coming days? As a massive underdog against the most dominant team in the league, there’s certainly some built-in intrigue for an unlikely, yet far from impossible upset.