2003–04 Minnesota Timberwolves season
The 2003–04 NBA season was the 15th season for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association. The season is one of the most memorable in Timberwolves history. During the offseason, the Timberwolves signed free agents Michael Olowakandi and Trenton Hassell. With a Western Conference-best 58-24 finish, the Wolves set the franchise record for wins, and won its first and only division championship. Power forward Kevin Garnett averaged 24.2 points, a league-high 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game, winning the regular season Most Valuable Player Award.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Timberwolves defeated the Denver Nuggets in five games, which was their first ever win in a playoff series. The Wolves were then pushed to the limit in the semifinals by the Sacramento Kings, who they narrowly defeated in a deciding seventh game. In the Western Conference Finals, they faced the Los Angeles Lakers, who had defeated them in last season's First Round in six games. The Lakers team was known for its all-star starting lineup of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and were defeated in six games. The Lakers would then go on to lose in the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons in five games.
They also acquired 4-time All-Star Latrell Sprewell in the off-season. The arrival was seen as controversial as Sprewell was known for his choking incident with then-Warriors head coach P.J. Carlesimo, and helping the 8th-seeded New York Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1999, and Sam Cassell, who was known for winning two championships with the Houston Rockets, and his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he helped guide the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001, to join Garnett, forming a "Big 3". Garnett, Cassell, and coach Flip Saunders represented the Western Conference in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. The 2004 All-Star game was Cassell's only All-Star appearance in his career.
The Timberwolves would not make the playoffs again until 2018, and as of 2019, this remains the only season the Wolves had ever won a playoff series.
With the exceptions of Ndudi Ebi, Troy Hudson, Darrick Martin, Oliver Miller, and Michael Olowokandi, the team's season roster is featured in NBA 2K18.
Offseason
NBA Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 26 | Ndudi Ebi | Forward | ||
| 2 | 55 | Rick Rickert | Forward | United States | Minnesota |
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
Playoffs
West First Round
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets: Timberwolves win series 4–1- Game 1 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:30et
- Game 2 @ Target Center, Minneapolis:
- Game 3 @ Pepsi Center, Denver: ESPN 10:30et
- Game 4 @ Pepsi Center, Denver: TNT 10:30et
- Game 5 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: ESPN 9:30et
West Conference Semifinals
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Sacramento KingsTimberwolves win series 4–3
- Game 1 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:30et
- Game 2 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: ESPN 9:30et
- Game 3 @ ARCO Arena, Sacramento: TNT 10:30et
- Game 4 @ ARCO Arena, Sacramento: TNT 10:30et
- Game 5 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:30et
- Game 6 @ ARCO Arena, Sacramento: ABC 3:30et
- Game 7 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:00et
West Conference Finals
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers win series 4–2- Game 1 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:00pm/8:00ct
- Game 2 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:00pm/8:00ct
- Game 3 @ Staples Center, Los Angeles: TNT 9:00pm/6:00pt
- Game 4 @ Staples Center, Los Angeles: TNT 9:00pm/6:00pt
- Game 5 @ Target Center, Minneapolis: TNT 9:00pm/8:00ct
- Game 6 @ Staples Center, Los Angeles: TNT 9:00pm/6:00pt
Awards and honors
Week/Month
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played November 16 through November 22.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played December 14 through December 20.
- Sam Cassell was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played December 21 through December 27.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played January 18 through January 24.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played January 25 through January 31.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Month for December.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Month for January.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Month for February.
- Kevin Garnett was named Western Conference Player of the Month for April.
- Flip Saunders was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for April.
All-Star
- Kevin Garnett was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his seventh consecutive All-Star selection. Garnett finished first among Western Conference players in voting with 1,780,918 votes.
- Sam Cassell was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his first and only All-Star selection.
- Flip Saunders coached the Western Conference to a 136–132 victory over the Eastern Conference.
Season
- Kevin Garnett received the Most Valuable Player Award.
- Kevin Garnett was named to the All-NBA First Team. Garnett also finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
- Sam Cassell was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Cassell also finished tenth in MVP voting.
Injuries/Missed games
- 10/27/03: Troy Hudson: Sprained ankle; placed on injured list until December 20
- 10/29/03: Wally Szczerbiak: Inflamed arch in foot; placed on injured reserve until February 19
- 11/22/03: Michael Olowokandi: Knee tendinitis; out until November 28
- 11/26/03: Mark Madsen: Back spasms; out until December 9
- 12/05/03: Michael Olowokandi: Knee tendinitis; placed on injured list until February 20
- 12/12/03: Mark Madsen: Back spasms; out until December 20
- 12/20/03: Ervin Johnson: Personal reasons; did not play
- 12/26/03: Troy Hudson: Sprained ankle; out until January 19
- 01/10/04: Gary Trent: Sprained ankle; out until January 19
- 01/23/04: Ervin Johnson: Personal reasons; did not play
- 01/25/04: Ervin Johnson: Personal reasons; did not play
- 02/01/04: Troy Hudson: Sprained ankle; out until February 17
- 02/19/04: Ndudi Ebi: Knee tendinitis; placed on injured list for rest of season
- 02/25/04: Sam Cassell: Ankle tendinitis; did not play
- 02/27/04: Wally Szczerbiak: Flu; did not play
- 03/21/04: Troy Hudson: Sore ankle; did not play
- 03/23/04: Troy Hudson: Sore ankle; did not play
- 03/31/04: Troy Hudson: Sprained ankle; placed on injured list for rest of season
- 04/27/04: Wally Szczerbiak: Cracked vertebrae; out until May 14
- 05/29/04: Sam Cassell: Back spasms; did not play
- 05/31/04: Sam Cassell: Back spasms; did not play
Player statistics
Regular season
- – Stats with the Timberwolves.
Playoffs
† – Minimum 20 field goals made.^ – Minimum 5 three-pointers made.