1996–97 Minnesota Timberwolves season

The 1996–97 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the eighth season for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association.^[1] The Timberwolves received the fifth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Ray Allen from the University of Connecticut, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for rookie point guard, and top draft pick Stephon Marbury out of Georgia Tech University.^[2][3][4] The team also acquired James Robinson from the Portland Trail Blazers,^[5][6] and second-year center Cherokee Parks from the Dallas Mavericks,^[7][8] while signing free agents, rookie center Dean Garrett,^[9] second-year guard Chris Carr, and Stojko Vrankovic during the off-season.^[10] However, Michael Williams would miss the entire regular season due to a strained plantar fascia in his left heel.^[11][12]

With the addition of Marbury, Garrett and Robinson, the Timberwolves got off to a 7–8 start to the regular season. However, the team posted a six-game losing streak afterwards, while losing nine of their next ten games, leading to an 8–17 start to the season. The Timberwolves soon recovered and later on held a 23–25 record at the All-Star break.^[13] The Timberwolves showed improvement by finishing in third place in the Midwest Division with a 40–42 record, which was below .500 in winning percentage, but still good enough to earn the sixth seed in the Western Conference, as the team qualified for their first ever NBA playoff appearance in franchise history.^[14]

Tom Gugliotta averaged 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while second-year star Kevin Garnett showed improvement averaging 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per game, and Marbury provided the team with 15.8 points and 7.8 assists per game, and contributed 102 three-point field goals, playing in 67 games due to ankle and thigh injuries,^[15][16][17] as he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, Sam Mitchell played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while Garrett provided with 8.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Doug West contributed 7.8 points per game. Off the bench, Robinson contributed 8.3 points per game and 102 three-point field goals, while Terry Porter provided with 6.9 points and 3.6 assists per game, Carr contributed 6.1 points per game, and Vrankovic averaged 3.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, starting at center for half of the regular season.^[18]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Gugliotta and Garnett were both selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was Garnett's first ever All-Star appearance, and the first and only All-Star appearance for Gugliotta.^[19][20][21] Meanwhile, Marbury was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Western Conference Rookie team, but did not participate due to a thigh injury,^[22][23] and Carr participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.^[19][24] Gugliotta finished tied in 17th place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Garnett finished in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting, with Gugliotta finishing tied in ninth place;^[25] Marbury finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting, behind Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers,^[26][25] and head coach Flip Saunders finished tied in sixth place in Coach of the Year voting.^[25]

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1997 NBA playoffs, the Timberwolves faced off against the 3rd–seeded Houston Rockets, who were led by the All-Star trio of Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler. The Timberwolves lost the first two games to the Rockets on the road at The Summit, before losing Game 3 at home, 125–120 at the Target Center, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep. It was also Garnett's first ever NBA playoff appearance.^[27][28][29]

The Timberwolves finished 14th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 697,727 at the Target Center during the regular season.^[18][30] Following the season, Garrett signed as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets,^[31][32][9] while Robinson signed with the Los Angeles Clippers,^[33][34] and Vrankovic was traded to the Clippers.^[35][36]

For the season, the Timberwolves revealed a new primary logo of a gray wolf with pine trees,^[37] and changed their uniforms, adding dark blue and black to their color scheme of green and silver.^[38][39] The team's new primary logo, and new uniforms would both remain in use until 2008.