2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season
2021–22 NBA season by team
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The 2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the 33rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season for the league began on October 19, 2021, and featuread the normal 82-game schedule for the first time since the 2018–19 season.[1] On September 22, 2021, general manager Gersson Rosas was fired,[2] and was subsequently replaced by Sachin Gupta.[2]
| 2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Chris Finch |
| General manager | Sachin Gupta |
| Owner | Glen Taylor |
| Arena | Target Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 46–36 (.561) |
| Place | Division: 3rd (Northwest) Conference: 7th (Western) |
| Playoff finish | First round (lost to Grizzlies 2–4) |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | Bally Sports North |
| Radio | WCCO |
With a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on March 19, the Timberwolves clinched their first winning season since 2018, and only their second winning season since 2005.[3] After a win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament on April 12, 2022, the Timberwolves clinched their first playoff berth since 2018.[4] However, they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round in six games.[5]
Previous season
The Timberwolves concluded the 2020–21 season with 23–49 record, finishing last in the Northwest Division and thirteenth in the Western Conference.[6]
NBA draft
The Timberwolves did not hold any picks in the 2021 NBA draft, as they have traded both selections to the Golden State Warriors alongside Andrew Wiggins in 2020.[7] The first-round pick was conveyed to Golden State after falling outside the top three following the NBA draft lottery, while the second-round pick was conveyed to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a replacement for Golden State's first-round pick that failed to convey due to its top-20 protection after the Warriors missed the 2021 NBA playoffs.[8]
Roster
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Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
Roster |
Standings
Division
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Conference
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Game log
Preseason
| 2021 preseason game log Total: 3–1 (home: 1-0; road: 2-1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preseason: 3–1 (home: 1–0; road: 2–1)
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| 2021–22 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
| 2021–22 game log Total: 46–36 (home: 26–15; road: 20–21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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October: 3–2 (home: 2–2; road: 1–0)
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November: 8–8 (home: 5–5; road: 3–3)
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December: 5–9 (home: 3–4; road: 2–5)
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January: 9–6 (home: 4–0; road: 5–6)
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February: 8–4 (home: 4–2; road: 4–2)
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March: 10–5 (home: 7–1; road: 3–4)
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April: 3–2 (home: 1–2; road: 2–0)
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| 2021–22 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Play-in
| 2022 play-in game log Total: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Play-in: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0)
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| 2021–22 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||
Playoffs
| 2021–22 game log Total: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2)
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| 2021–22 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Player statistics
Regular season
| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Beasley | SG | 79 | 18 | 1,976 | 227 | 116 | 43 | 12 | 953 | 25.0 | 2.9 | 1.5 | .5 | .2 | 12.1 |
| Naz Reid | C | 77 | 6 | 1,215 | 301 | 71 | 40 | 71 | 637 | 15.8 | 3.9 | .9 | .5 | .9 | 8.3 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | C | 74 | 74 | 2,476 | 727 | 269 | 72 | 83 | 1,818 | 33.5 | 9.8 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 24.6 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | PF | 74 | 67 | 1,880 | 624 | 94 | 99 | 46 | 512 | 25.4 | 8.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | .6 | 6.9 |
| Anthony Edwards | SG | 72 | 72 | 2,466 | 343 | 275 | 105 | 46 | 1,533 | 34.3 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .6 | 21.3 |
| Jaden McDaniels | PF | 70 | 31 | 1,803 | 293 | 79 | 52 | 54 | 647 | 25.8 | 4.2 | 1.1 | .7 | .8 | 9.2 |
| Taurean Prince | PF | 69 | 8 | 1,177 | 174 | 68 | 47 | 23 | 502 | 17.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .7 | .3 | 7.3 |
| D'Angelo Russell | PG | 65 | 65 | 2,077 | 216 | 460 | 62 | 22 | 1,176 | 32.0 | 3.3 | 7.1 | 1.0 | .3 | 18.1 |
| Jordan McLaughlin | PG | 62 | 3 | 902 | 94 | 180 | 57 | 10 | 233 | 14.5 | 1.5 | 2.9 | .9 | .2 | 3.8 |
| Jaylen Nowell | SG | 62 | 1 | 975 | 123 | 130 | 27 | 10 | 527 | 15.7 | 2.0 | 2.1 | .4 | .2 | 8.5 |
| Patrick Beverley | PG | 58 | 54 | 1,476 | 240 | 268 | 67 | 52 | 533 | 25.4 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 1.2 | .9 | 9.2 |
| Josh Okogie | SG | 49 | 6 | 516 | 70 | 25 | 26 | 12 | 133 | 10.5 | 1.4 | .5 | .5 | .2 | 2.7 |
| Nathan Knight | PF | 37 | 2 | 267 | 85 | 22 | 7 | 8 | 138 | 7.2 | 2.3 | .6 | .2 | .2 | 3.7 |
| Leandro Bolmaro | SF | 35 | 2 | 241 | 43 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 6.9 | 1.2 | .6 | .2 | .0 | 1.4 |
| Jake Layman | SF | 34 | 1 | 231 | 36 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 81 | 6.8 | 1.1 | .3 | .2 | .1 | 2.4 |
| McKinley Wright IV | PG | 5 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3.8 | .0 | .6 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Greg Monroe† | C | 4 | 0 | 81 | 24 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 29 | 20.3 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 7.3 |
| Chris Silva† | PF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
- † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Timberwolves only.
Playoffs
| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Edwards | SG | 6 | 6 | 227 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 151 | 37.8 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 25.2 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | C | 6 | 6 | 222 | 65 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 131 | 37.0 | 10.8 | 2.2 | .7 | 2.0 | 21.8 |
| D'Angelo Russell | PG | 6 | 6 | 196 | 15 | 40 | 9 | 0 | 72 | 32.7 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 1.5 | .0 | 12.0 |
| Patrick Beverley | PG | 6 | 6 | 194 | 19 | 29 | 7 | 7 | 66 | 32.3 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 11.0 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | PF | 6 | 6 | 129 | 43 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 33 | 21.5 | 7.2 | .7 | 1.2 | .3 | 5.5 |
| Jaden McDaniels | PF | 6 | 0 | 130 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 56 | 21.7 | 2.8 | .7 | .3 | 1.8 | 9.3 |
| Malik Beasley | SG | 6 | 0 | 119 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 19.8 | 3.3 | .7 | .3 | .2 | 8.5 |
| Jordan McLaughlin | PG | 5 | 0 | 83 | 12 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 16.6 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 1.0 | .0 | 6.2 |
| Taurean Prince | PF | 5 | 0 | 65 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 13.0 | 1.6 | 1.2 | .4 | .2 | 6.0 |
| Naz Reid | C | 5 | 0 | 54 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 10.8 | 2.8 | .0 | .2 | 1.2 | 4.8 |
| Greg Monroe | C | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3.5 | 1.0 | .5 | 1.0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Jaylen Nowell | SG | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 12.0 | .0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 6.0 |
| Josh Okogie | SG | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
Transactions
Trades
| August 3, 2021[9] | To Minnesota Timberwolves Taurean Prince 2022 WAS second−round pick Cash considerations |
To Cleveland Cavaliers Ricky Rubio |
| August 25, 2021[10] | To Minnesota Timberwolves Patrick Beverley |
To Memphis Grizzlies Jarrett Culver Juancho Hernangómez |
Free agency
Additions
| Player | Signed | Former team |
|---|---|---|
| Nathan Knight | Two-way contract (August 6, 2021) |
Atlanta Hawks |
| McKinley Wright IV | Colorado |