2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season

The 2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the 13th season for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association. == Season summary == === Off-season === During the off-season, the Timberwolves were able to re-sign free agent Joe Smith; Smith previously played one season with the Detroit Pistons. In addition, the team also signed free agent Gary Trent. === Regular season === With the return of Smith along with the addition of Trent, the Timberwolves won nine of their first ten games of the regular season, which led them to a 28–9 start as of January 15, 2002, but started to slow down holding a 33–16 record at the All-Star break. Terrell Brandon suffered a knee injury after 32 games, and was out for the remainder of the season, as the team suffered a seven-game losing streak in March. At mid-season, the team traded Dean Garrett to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for second-year center Marc Jackson, and signed free agent Robert Pack in March. The Timberwolves finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a solid 50–32 record, and earned the fifth seed in the Western Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. Kevin Garnett averaged 21.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Wally Szczerbiak averaged 18.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while Chauncey Billups provided the team with 12.5 points and 5.5 assists per game, and also led them with 124 three-point field goals, Brandon contributed 12.4 points, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and Smith provided with 10.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Anthony Peeler contributed 9.0 points per game and 111 three-point field goals, Rasho Nesterovic averaged 8.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Trent provided with 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. During the NBA All-Star weekend at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Garnett and Szczerbiak were both selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was Szczerbiak's first and only All-Star appearance. Garnett finished in twelfth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons. The Timberwolves finished 14th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 731,673 at the Target Center during the regular season. === NBA playoffs === In the Western Conference First Round of the 2002 NBA playoffs, the Timberwolves faced off against the 4th–seeded Dallas Mavericks, who were led by the All-Star trio of Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley. The Timberwolves lost the first two games to the Mavericks on the road at the American Airlines Center, before losing Game 3 at home, 115–102 at the Target Center, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep. It was the sixth consecutive year that the Timberwolves lost in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. === Aftermath === Following the season, Billups signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons, while Pack was released to free agency, and veteran forward Sam Mitchell, who was the only member left from the team's inaugural season, retired. == Draft picks == == Roster == == Regular season == === Season standings === z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot === Game log === == Playoffs == == Player statistics == === Regular season === === Playoffs === == Awards and records == Kevin Garnett, All-NBA Second Team Kevin Garnett, NBA All-Defensive First Team == References == == See also == 2001-02 NBA season