The Historic Rise and Fall and Potential Resurgence of the Minnesota Timberwolves

The explosion of joy that took over the Target Center when Chris Webber’s three-point attempt hit the backboard and went wide was the confirmation of a historic milestone for the Minnesota city. The Timberwolves advanced to the Conference finals for the first time in their short stay in the NBA, which boasted the functionality of its system by hosting a franchise that was barely 15 years old among the four best teams in the competition. The merriment took over the stadium and the city, which for the first time dreamed of a ring that was then eight victories away. Something unprecedented for them and that also meant the last lost opportunity for Rick Adelman’s Kings, who brought together their last competitive squad that year, but who would be left with the memory of the 2002 Western finals, when they were closer than ever. of a title that Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers deprived them of.

It was the season of Kevin Garnett, messiah of those Wolves, logo of the city and eternal brand of an entity that he disowned in his retirement due to disagreements with Glen Taylor, owner at that time until he sold the majority of his shares to Alex Rodríguez . Garnett was in his prime: he won the MVP of the season, one in which he won the first of his four consecutive titles of top rebounder. And he led a project that finally had aspirations and players to go far, with Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell in the running. The first, a talented forward who was involved in some altercations during his career, had gotten the Knicks into the 1999 Finals in a way that was as unexpected as it was deserved, starting from eighth place in the East. The second, a talented point guard who won two titles with the Rockets, always improved his teams, which he demonstrated in the Bucks before and in the Clippers later. He won one more ring, already as a luxury veteran in the 2008 Celtics, where he shared a team… with Garnett.

The power forward averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and 5 assists that season, in addition to 1.5 steals and 2.2 blocks, playing in all 82 regular season games and achieving at least one double-double in 71 from them. A staunch defender (he won the award in 2008 for it), he multiplied himself more than ever in attack to keep his teammates involved and demonstrated a passing ability inappropriate for a tall man of the time. His ability to rebound was spectacular then, as was his well-known competitiveness and trash talking, which drove even players like Tim Duncan, traditionally pristine and impenetrable, on numerous occasions. The Timberwolves, with 58 wins, led the Western Conference for the first time in their history. The project was on the rise and Flip Saunders, an established coach who later had a good role in the Pistons, had the approval of the entity and of Garnett himself, who in that game against the Kings scored 32 points, 21 rebounds, 2 passes to the basket, 4 steals and 5 blocks. Almost nothing.

The Wolves fell in the next round to the Lakers, the last competitive team of Shaq and Kobe, who crashed against the Pistons in the Finals in what was the end of a marriage full of ups and downs and which produced quite a bit given the circumstances. It was a 4-2 that did not detract from the entity’s season, and a tie that the Minnesota team faced with home field advantage but many key losses that occurred (Cassell at the head) and that forced Garnett to play even as a base . Of course, a great future was foreseen for the Timberwolves, considered by fans and specialists as one of the contenders for the coming years. Nothing could be further from the truth: Sprewell asked for the moon (financially speaking) and left the entity through the back door, while Cassell endured one more season in which he suffered many physical problems. Saunders also left in 2005. Garnett was left alone against the world. And those Wolves said goodbye.

Years of nonsense

On July 31, 2007, Kevin Garnett was traded to the Celtics in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, more money, a first-round pick from the Greens corresponding to the 2009 draft and a first-round pick of the Wolves from the same draft that they had from the trade between Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak in 2006. It was the move with the most compensation in history, one that Garnett gave the go-ahead to end that torture that sooner or later has haunted all the great stars in NBA history: not winning. In his first year at the Garden he achieved success, long postponed, with a fundamental role and giving the only ring that the Celtics have in their showcases since 1986, a gargantuan crisis for an entity of such magnitude. Of course, he left behind a legacy at Wolves that no one was able to match.

In Minnesota, a phase of absolute nonsense began, a structural drought that turned into nothing. A small market in a state, Minneapolis, with very cold conditions and few attractions for important free agents. And look what was tried: in the following year Rick Adelman passed through the benches, Kevin Love was chosen as the franchise player, great rounds of the draft were achieved (like Ricky Rubio), basketball players from the recent past were recovered (Brandon Roy, Andre Kirilenko …) and there was even more of a hopeful beginning. Of course, the attempts were of no use: bad luck, injuries, the low level of the squads built and the impossibility of advancing were notorious. And nothing and no one seemed capable of righting a situation in which homesickness participated, especially with the return of Flip Saunders first, and of an aging Garnett who was already touching retirement with the tips of his fingers and who chose to end a great career just where it started. All of this prior to his exile and his refusal to work with the Wolves again.

Garnett, who had left the team of his life for the first time at the age of 32 and after 12 seasons wearing the same jersey (more than anyone else at that time), left a void that was impossible to recover. In 2004 and after elimination, the Wolves had eight consecutive appearances in the playoffs. After that, there were 13 absences, the first 3 with Garnett still on the roster, and a way of doing things that no one anticipated as correct. Also 12 seasons below 50% wins, six with less than 30 games won and three without reaching 20 with 17, 15 and 16 in three different seasons. And 10 coaches, a multitude of members, no evolution and a gradual fall to hell that left everything that the entity had achieved in the first part of its existence in absolute nothingness. The situation fell and crumbs were the little that anyone could find if they looked at the remote place where a team like the Timberwolves was located. And the most painful reality was that, in the end, no one wanted to watch.

From hell to light

Now, 20 years after those Conference finals, the only playoffs in which the Timberwolves have passed any round in their history, the light is seen. And in a slow, gradual process, in which there have also been several factors and pieces, some that have finally been able to fit together. Like any process, patience is a virtue that often drives you crazy but on other occasions bears fruit. And this is what happened in Minnesota: the frustrated attempt with Jimmy Butler did not bear fruit despite ending the drought regarding the final phase, and the star headed for the exit door with more than obvious criticism of Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. It didn’t take long for Tom Thibodeau to leave and Ryan Saunders, son of Flip (who died in 2015), was signed to draw on nostalgia and return to a past that was better. It didn’t work either, and there was patience. He seemed like a good guy and was a bad coach. The arrival of Chris Finch gave another focus to the situation. And things began to change.

After more than half a century of life, Finch accepted his first job as head coach. He did it after spending time as an assistant with the Rockets, Nuggets and Pelicans. Knowing that he inherited an impossible project, with open wounds and an enormous number of frustrated years and accumulated pain. And he has dedicated himself to making things easy: without great fanfare, using the best, without any intention of making frills and with perseverance and expertise. Knowing that heaven could not be conquered by assault, and that the relationship between the players had to be more positive. From consensus, he built. The results had to come quickly, but they didn’t have to be spectacular. The goal was the playoffs and they have been reached. In his first two seasons, both positive, with 46 and 42 victories, he has reached his goal. First step taken. After that, the objective was to grow.

And it is being done: green shoots are finally being seen in the Wolves. Some that have taken a long time to appear, but they are here. The signing of Rudy Gobert makes it possible to cover Towns’ defensive shortcomings, while the baton has been logically and definitively handed over to Anthony Edwards, who averages 26 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5 assists and further develops his passing ability He will be permanently competing for the MVP. And all this, with Mike Conley as a great reference, a luxury veteran who gives a great level, extension of Finch on the court and in charge of keeping the pieces together so that the chemistry flows. His wisdom is the best food that the staff feeds on. His patience is key. Also, of course, there is support: that of an interesting, capable mayor (Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Naz Reid, Jaden MDanields, Kyle Anderson…), who is very important and does not hide at any time.

The key, the defense: the best in the NBA. From there, the Wolves build. Gobert protects the zone, Conley has always given a good level on that side of the court, and the physicality of the outside players allows them to reach the help and block long shots. With that, a good coach who doesn’t get into trouble and more than palpable talent, the Minnesota team occupies first position in the West (30-11) for the first time in 20 years. And there are those who remember the spirit of Garnett and that 2004 in which a young franchise, from a tiny market and many difficulties to emerge, dreamed of the biggest prize. Will this be the season the Timberwolves make it past a playoff round? In their entire history they have done it twice, and both were in the same final phase. Now, a long time later, they look for the light, that beacon that illuminates them on a path that a legend taught, but that was lost from sight for a long time. Until now.

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2024-01-19 06:51:20
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