History of the Minnesota TimberwolvesÂ
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a long and at times, tumultuous history in the NBA. The team was founded in 1989 and played their first season in 1989-1990. Despite the excitement of having a new team, the Timberwolves struggled to find success in their early years. They consistently finished at the bottom of their division.
It wasn’t until 1995, that the team began to turn things around. This was because they acquired Kevin Garnett in the draft. Garnett quickly established himself as one of the league’s top players. Additionally, he helped the Timberwolves make the playoffs for eight straight seasons.
Despite some success, the Timberwolves were never able to win a championship with Garnett. After 12 seasons in Minnesota, he was traded to the Boston Celtics. Here, he won a championship in 2008.
The Timberwolves Recent Years
In the years since Garnett’s departure, the Timberwolves have struggled to find their footing. They have only made the playoffs once, in the 2017-2018 season. Yet, they were quickly eliminated in the first round.
The team has also seen a number of high-profile players come and go. This includes Stephon Marbury, Wally Szczerbiak, and Kevin Love. The latter, a five-time All-Star, was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.
Despite their struggles, the Timberwolves have a bright future thanks to the emergence of Karl-Anthony Towns. The 2015 first-overall pick has quickly become one of the league’s top centers. He has earned two All-Star nods in his first five seasons.
Recently, the Timberwolves have made a number of moves to try and build a competitive team around Towns. They traded for D’Angelo Russell in 2020, reuniting him with his close friend Towns. Again, they drafted well in recent years, selecting Anthony Edwards with the first overall pick in 2020.
While the Timberwolves are still searching for their first championship, there is reason for optimism in Minnesota. With Towns leading the way, the team has the potential to make noise in the Western Conference. Finally, there is hope to bring a title to the Twin Cities.
* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.