1990–91 Minnesota Timberwolves season

The 1990–91 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the second season for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association.^[1] After finishing their inaugural season with a 22–60 record, the Timberwolves received the sixth overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft, and selected center Felton Spencer from the University of Louisville.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired Scott Brooks from the Philadelphia 76ers.^[5][6]

After playing one season at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the Timberwolves moved into their new arena known as the Target Center, which opened on October 13, 1990;^[7][8] the team played their first game at the Target Center in their regular season opener on November 2, 1990, defeating the Dallas Mavericks by a score of 98–85, in front of a sellout crowd of 19,006 fans in attendance.^[9][10] Despite the addition of Spencer, the Timberwolves continued to struggle in their second season, posting a seven-game losing streak in December, and later on holding a 16–29 record at the All-Star break.^[11] The Timberwolves won six of their final eight games of the season, and finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 29–53 record, which was a seven-game improvement over their inaugural season.^[12]

Tony Campbell averaged 21.8 points and 1.6 steals per game, while Tyrone Corbin averaged 18.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and second-year star Pooh Richardson provided the team with 17.1 points, 9.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game. In addition, second-year forward Sam Mitchell contributed 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while Spencer provided with 7.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Meanwhile, rookie shooting guard, and first-round draft pick Gerald Glass contributed 6.9 points per game, Randy Breuer averaged 5.9 points, 4.7 blocks and 1.1 blocks per game, Brooks contributed 5.3 points and 2.6 assists per game, and Tod Murphy provided with 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.^[13]

The Timberwolves finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 779,530 at the Target Center during the regular season.^[13][14] Following the season, head coach Bill Musselman was fired after two seasons with the franchise.^[15][16][17]