Ranking the 5 greatest teams in Timberwolves history
By Will Eudy
Over the years, the Minnesota Timberwolves have given fans a lot to cheer for. When Kevin Garnett arrived in 1995, the franchise enjoyed 12 consecutive seasons of exciting moments and eight straight trips to the playoffs.
Now, Anthony Edwards has helped bring back some of the same magic to Minnesota. The Wolves have one of the most talented rosters in basketball, and look to make a deep playoff run in a Western Conference marked by extreme parity.
In the 35 seasons of Timberwolves history, there have been some incredible squads that achieved a great deal of success. Here, we will look at the top five teams to play in the Twin Cities.
The five greatest teams in Timberwolves history:
5. 2017-18
- 47-35 record
- Playoff finish: Lost first round vs Rockets
Most Wolves fans will remember this unique squad. After missing the playoffs for a league-leading 13 straight seasons from 2005 to 2017, Minnesota finally broke through and secured the eighth seed in the West in 2017-18.
With the addition of now-controversial Jimmy Butler, the Timberwolves boasted a star-studded lineup featuring Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. The rotation had a solid balance of defense, shooting, and veteran presence.
For most of the year, the team hovered around 10 to 12 games above .500, ultimately finishing 47-35. The race to the playoffs came down to the final game, with the Wolves defeating the Denver Nuggets in the 82nd game of the regular season to stamp their ticket.
Minnesota was matched up with the league-leading 65-win Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and ended up losing the series in five. But the fact that this team outperformed expectations and ended their long playoff drought earns them a spot in the top five.