The 2003–04 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the 15th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season is one of the most memorable in Timberwolves history. During the offseason, the Timberwolves acquired 4-time All-Star guard Latrell Sprewell. The arrival was seen as controversial as Sprewell was known for his choking incident with then-Golden State Warriors head coach P. J. Carlesimo, though also known for helping the 8th-seeded New York Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1999. 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, also was acquired to join Garnett, forming a "Big 3". The Timberwolves also signed free agents - former Number 1 Overall pick (in the 1998 draft) 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 semi-finals 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 the prior season's first round in six games. The Lakers team, known for its star-studded starting lineup consisting of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone, bested the Wolves in six games, where they would then would go on to lose in the NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons in five games. Garnett, Cassell, and head coach Flip Saunders represented the Western Conference in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. The 2004 All-Star Game was Cassell's only NBA All-Star appearance in his entire career.
After this season, the Timberwolves would not reign victorious in another playoff series until 2024, experiencing a lengthy drought of 21 seasons in which the Timberwolves would go on to defeat the Denver Nuggets in 7 games to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in two decades. It would be 14 seasons, until 2018, before the Wolves would make the playoffs again.
Offseason NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 26 Ndudi Ebi Forward 2 55 Rick Rickert Forward Minnesota
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Game log
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 29 | Milwaukee | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (21) | Sam Cassell (9) | Target Center17,784 | 1–0 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 2 | October 31 | @ New Jersey | | Kevin Garnett (23) | Latrell Sprewell (10) | Sam Cassell (7) | Continental Airlines Arena17,145 | 1–1
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | November 1 | Toronto | | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Latrell Sprewell (6) | Target Center15,869 | 2–1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | November 3 | @ Utah | | Sam Cassell (27) | Michael Olowokandi (8) | Sam Cassell (10) | Delta Center17,177 | 2–2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | November 5 | Sacramento | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Sam Cassell (14) | Target Center15,889 | 2–3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | November 7 | @ Orlando | | Latrell Sprewell (22) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (9) | TD Waterhouse Centre16,074 | 3–3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 7 | November 8 | @ Miami | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (6) | American Airlines Arena14,645 | 4–3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 8 | November 11 | Seattle | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (13) | Target Center14,107 | 4–4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 9 | November 13 | @ Chicago | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (5) | United Center21,722 | 5–4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 10 | November 14 | Utah | | Kevin Garnett (23) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Garnett, McLeod (7) | Target Center17,182 | 5–5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 18 | Denver | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Garnett, McLeod (8) | Target Center15,090 | 6–5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 | November 21 | @ Cleveland | | Latrell Sprewell (31) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (6) | Gund Arena19,269 | 7–5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 13 | November 22 | L.A. Clippers | | Kevin Garnett (30) | Kevin Garnett (19) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center16,080 | 8–5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 14 | November 25 | @ Indiana | | Garnett, Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sam Cassell (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse14,540 | 8–6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 15 | November 26 | New York | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center15,901 | 8–7 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | November 28 | @ Memphis | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Pyramid Arena16,741 | 9–7 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 17 | November 29 | @ Dallas | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (20) | Sam Cassell (7) | American Airlines Center20,089 | 9–8
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 18 | December 3 | @ Phoenix | | Sam Cassell (27) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (8) | America West Arena16,508 | 10–8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 19 | December 5 | @ Sacramento | | Latrell Sprewell (37) | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (6) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 11–8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | December 7 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (8) | Sam Cassell (10) | Staples Center14,370 | 12–8 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 21 | December 9 | Golden State | | Kevin Garnett (33) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (12) | Target Center14,195 | 12–9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | December 12 | @ Washington | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sprewell, Cassell (7) | MCI Center16,802 | 13–9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 23 | December 15 | @ Boston | | Garnett, Cassell (27) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (9) | FleetCenter17,234 | 14–9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 24 | December 16 | Houston | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Cassell, Garnett (6) | Target Center15,715 | 15–9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | December 18 | Dallas | | Kevin Garnett (35) | Gary Trent (12) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Target Center17,794 | 16–9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 20 | Indiana | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (9) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center16,624 | 17–9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 27 | December 23 | @ New York | | Sprewell, Cassell (31) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (5) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 18–9 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | December 26 | @ Portland | | Kevin Garnett (27) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Garnett, Cassell (9) | Rose Garden Arena17,237 | 18–10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | December 27 | @ Seattle | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (8) | KeyArena17,072 | 19–10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | December 30 | Chicago | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (9) | Target Center20,092 | 20–10
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | January 2 | Atlanta | | Kevin Garnett (18) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center17,074 | 21–10 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 32 | January 3 | @ Dallas | | Sam Cassell (34) | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (7) | American Airlines Center19,936 | 21–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 33 | January 6 | L.A. Lakers | | Latrell Sprewell (30) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Hassell, Cassell (7) | Target Center20,095 | 22–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 8 | Portland | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center15,599 | 23–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 35 | January 10 | Miami | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Target Center17,026 | 24–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | January 13 | @ New Orleans | | Latrell Sprewell (26) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (6) | New Orleans Arena14,701 | 25–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | January 14 | @ San Antonio | | Sam Cassell (33) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Sam Cassell (9) | SBC Center17,411 | 26–11 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 38 | January 17 | @ Houston | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Toyota Center18,145 | 26–12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 39 | January 19 | New Orleans | | Kevin Garnett (29) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Target Center17,117 | 27–12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 40 | January 21 | @ Toronto | | Sam Cassell (30) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Sam Cassell (13) | Air Canada Centre18,846 | 28–12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 41 | January 23 | Detroit | | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center19,006 | 29–12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 42 | January 25 | Phoenix | | Sam Cassell (32) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Kevin Garnett (8) | Target Center16,002 | 30–12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 43 | January 26 | @ Denver | | Kevin Garnett (31) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (11) | Pepsi Center15,320 | 31–12 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 44 | January 28 | @ Golden State | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (10) | The Arena in Oakland18,112 | 31–13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | January 30 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Latrell Sprewell (35) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Sam Cassell (11) | Staples Center18,997 | 32–13
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 46 | February 1 | Philadelphia | | Kevin Garnett (32) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Cassell, Garnett (9) | Target Center16,987 | 33–13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 47 | February 3 | Orlando | | Kevin Garnett (30) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center14,979 | 34–13 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 48 | February 4 | @ Atlanta | | Sam Cassell (20) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (7) | Philips Arena16,073 | 34–14 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 49 | February 6 | Cleveland | | Kevin Garnett (35) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center19,212 | 35–14 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 50 | February 8 | Memphis | | Sam Cassell (34) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center19,179 | 35–15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 51 | February 10 | L.A. Clippers | | Kevin Garnett (31) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sam Cassell (12) | Target Center15,298 | 36–15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 52 | February 11 | @ Utah | | Sam Cassell (24) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (7) | Delta Center19,911 | 37–15 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |-style="background:#cfc;" | 53 | February 17 | Phoenix | | Kevin Garnett (32) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center16,181 | 38–15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 54 | February 19 | Sacramento | | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (24) | Sprewell, Cassell (5) | Target Center18,667 | 39–15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 55 | February 20 | @ Detroit | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills22,076 | 40–15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 56 | February 22 | San Antonio | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Target Center20,347 | 40–16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 57 | February 24 | @ Milwaukee | | Sam Cassell (29) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Garnett, Cassell (6) | Bradley Center18,717 | 41–16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 58 | February 25 | New Jersey | | Troy Hudson (29) | Michael Olowokandi (11) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Target Center17,232 | 42–16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 59 | February 27 | Golden State | | Kevin Garnett (24) | Fred Hoiberg (11) | Kevin Garnett (9) | Target Center19,012 | 43–16 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 60 | February 29 | @ Philadelphia | | Kevin Garnett (27) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Kevin Garnett (5) | Wachovia Center20,453 | 43–17
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 61 | March 3 | Dallas |