The 2003âÂÂ04 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.
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 29 | Milwaukee | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (21) | Sam Cassell (9) | Target Center<br>17,784 | 1âÂÂ0 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 2 | October 31 | @ New Jersey | | Kevin Garnett (23) | Latrell Sprewell (10) | Sam Cassell (7) | Continental Airlines Arena<br>17,145 | 1âÂÂ1
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | November 1 | Toronto | | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Latrell Sprewell (6) | Target Center<br>15,869 | 2âÂÂ1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | November 3 | @ Utah | | Sam Cassell (27) | Michael Olowokandi (8) | Sam Cassell (10) | Delta Center<br>17,177 | 2âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | November 5 | Sacramento | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Sam Cassell (14) | Target Center<br>15,889 | 2âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | November 7 | @ Orlando | | Latrell Sprewell (22) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (9) | TD Waterhouse Centre<br>16,074 | 3âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 7 | November 8 | @ Miami | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (6) | American Airlines Arena<br>14,645 | 4âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 8 | November 11 | Seattle | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (13) | Target Center<br>14,107 | 4âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 9 | November 13 | @ Chicago | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (5) | United Center<br>21,722 | 5âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 10 | November 14 | Utah | | Kevin Garnett (23) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Garnett, McLeod (7) | Target Center<br>17,182 | 5âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 18 | Denver | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Garnett, McLeod (8) | Target Center<br>15,090 | 6âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 | November 21 | @ Cleveland | | Latrell Sprewell (31) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (6) | Gund Arena<br>19,269 | 7âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 13 | November 22 | L.A. Clippers | | Kevin Garnett (30) | Kevin Garnett (19) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center<br>16,080 | 8âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 14 | November 25 | @ Indiana | | Garnett, Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sam Cassell (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br>14,540 | 8âÂÂ6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 15 | November 26 | New York | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center<br>15,901 | 8âÂÂ7 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | November 28 | @ Memphis | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Pyramid Arena<br>16,741 | 9âÂÂ7 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 17 | November 29 | @ Dallas | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (20) | Sam Cassell (7) | American Airlines Center<br>20,089 | 9âÂÂ8
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 18 | December 3 | @ Phoenix | | Sam Cassell (27) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (8) | America West Arena<br>16,508 | 10âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 19 | December 5 | @ Sacramento | | Latrell Sprewell (37) | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (6) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 11âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | December 7 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (8) | Sam Cassell (10) | Staples Center<br>14,370 | 12âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 21 | December 9 | Golden State | | Kevin Garnett (33) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (12) | Target Center<br>14,195 | 12âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | December 12 | @ Washington | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sprewell, Cassell (7) | MCI Center<br>16,802 | 13âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 23 | December 15 | @ Boston | | Garnett, Cassell (27) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (9) | FleetCenter<br>17,234 | 14âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 24 | December 16 | Houston | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Cassell, Garnett (6) | Target Center<br>15,715 | 15âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | December 18 | Dallas | | Kevin Garnett (35) | Gary Trent (12) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Target Center<br>17,794 | 16âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 20 | Indiana | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (9) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center<br>16,624 | 17âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 27 | December 23 | @ New York | | Sprewell, Cassell (31) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 18âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | December 26 | @ Portland | | Kevin Garnett (27) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Garnett, Cassell (9) | Rose Garden Arena<br>17,237 | 18âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | December 27 | @ Seattle | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (8) | KeyArena<br>17,072 | 19âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | December 30 | Chicago | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (9) | Target Center<br>20,092 | 20âÂÂ10
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | January 2 | Atlanta | | Kevin Garnett (18) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center<br>17,074 | 21âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 32 | January 3 | @ Dallas | | Sam Cassell (34) | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (7) | American Airlines Center<br>19,936 | 21âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 33 | January 6 | L.A. Lakers | | Latrell Sprewell (30) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Hassell, Cassell (7) | Target Center<br>20,095 | 22âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 8 | Portland | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center<br>15,599 | 23âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 35 | January 10 | Miami | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Target Center<br>17,026 | 24âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | January 13 | @ New Orleans | | Latrell Sprewell (26) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (6) | New Orleans Arena<br>14,701 | 25âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | January 14 | @ San Antonio | | Sam Cassell (33) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Sam Cassell (9) | SBC Center<br>17,411 | 26âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 38 | January 17 | @ Houston | | Sam Cassell (25) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Toyota Center<br>18,145 | 26âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 39 | January 19 | New Orleans | | Kevin Garnett (29) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Target Center<br>17,117 | 27âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 40 | January 21 | @ Toronto | | Sam Cassell (30) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Sam Cassell (13) | Air Canada Centre<br>18,846 | 28âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 41 | January 23 | Detroit | | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center<br>19,006 | 29âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 42 | January 25 | Phoenix | | Sam Cassell (32) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Kevin Garnett (8) | Target Center<br>16,002 | 30âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 43 | January 26 | @ Denver | | Kevin Garnett (31) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (11) | Pepsi Center<br>15,320 | 31âÂÂ12 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 44 | January 28 | @ Golden State | | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (10) | The Arena in Oakland<br>18,112 | 31âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | January 30 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Latrell Sprewell (35) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Sam Cassell (11) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 32âÂÂ13
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 46 | February 1 | Philadelphia | | Kevin Garnett (32) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Cassell, Garnett (9) | Target Center<br>16,987 | 33âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 47 | February 3 | Orlando | | Kevin Garnett (30) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center<br>14,979 | 34âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 48 | February 4 | @ Atlanta | | Sam Cassell (20) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (7) | Philips Arena<br>16,073 | 34âÂÂ14 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 49 | February 6 | Cleveland | | Kevin Garnett (35) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center<br>19,212 | 35âÂÂ14 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 50 | February 8 | Memphis | | Sam Cassell (34) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center<br>19,179 | 35âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 51 | February 10 | L.A. Clippers | | Kevin Garnett (31) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Sam Cassell (12) | Target Center<br>15,298 | 36âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 52 | February 11 | @ Utah | | Sam Cassell (24) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Sam Cassell (7) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 37âÂÂ15 |- 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 Center<br>16,181 | 38âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 54 | February 19 | Sacramento | | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (24) | Sprewell, Cassell (5) | Target Center<br>18,667 | 39âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 55 | February 20 | @ Detroit | | Kevin Garnett (25) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>22,076 | 40âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 56 | February 22 | San Antonio | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Target Center<br>20,347 | 40âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 57 | February 24 | @ Milwaukee | | Sam Cassell (29) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Garnett, Cassell (6) | Bradley Center<br>18,717 | 41âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 58 | February 25 | New Jersey | | Troy Hudson (29) | Michael Olowokandi (11) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Target Center<br>17,232 | 42âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 59 | February 27 | Golden State | | Kevin Garnett (24) | Fred Hoiberg (11) | Kevin Garnett (9) | Target Center<br>19,012 | 43âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 60 | February 29 | @ Philadelphia | | Kevin Garnett (27) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Kevin Garnett (5) | Wachovia Center<br>20,453 | 43âÂÂ17
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 61 | March 3 | Dallas | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (19) | Sam Cassell (10) | Target Center<br>19,006 | 44âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 62 | March 5 | Houston | | Kevin Garnett (32) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Sam Cassell (13) | Target Center<br>20,109 | 44âÂÂ18 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 63 | March 7 | Boston | | Kevin Garnett (20) | Garnett, Olowokandi (14) | Kevin Garnett (6) | Target Center<br>17,661 | 44âÂÂ19 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 64 | March 9 | @ Seattle | | Latrell Sprewell (31) | Garnett, Olowokandi (10) | Sam Cassell (6) | KeyArena<br>17,072 | 45âÂÂ19 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 65 | March 10 | @ Portland | | Kevin Garnett (20) | Sam Cassell (8) | Sam Cassell (9) | Rose Garden Arena<br>15,456 | 45âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 66 | March 12 | L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Sam Cassell (7) | Target Center<br>20,391 | 46âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 67 | March 14 | Portland | | Garnett, Cassell (20) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center<br>18,787 | 46âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 68 | March 18 | @ San Antonio | | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (12) | Kevin Garnett (3) | SBC Center<br>18,797 | 46âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 69 | March 19 | @ Phoenix | | Wally Szczerbiak (24) | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (6) | America West Arena<br>18,422 | 47âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 70 | March 21 | Denver | | Kevin Garnett (20) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Target Center<br>19,557 | 48âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 71 | March 23 | San Antonio | | Kevin Garnett (27) | Garnett, Cassell (10) | Sam Cassell (11) | Target Center<br>20,111 | 49âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 72 | March 24 | @ Denver | | Kevin Garnett (24) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Sam Cassell (6) | Pepsi Center<br>19,099 | 49âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 73 | March 26 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Latrell Sprewell (19) | Kevin Garnett (16) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 49âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 74 | March 27 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Latrell Sprewell (18) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Kevin Garnett (5) | Staples Center<br>19,424 | 50âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 75 | March 29 | @ Houston | | Kevin Garnett (27) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Kevin Garnett (9) | Toyota Center<br>16,270 | 51âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 76 | March 31 | Seattle | | Garnett, Sprewell (27) | Michael Olowokandi (11) | Sam Cassell (9) | Target Center<br>19,006 | 52âÂÂ24
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 77 | April 2 | Washington | | Kevin Garnett (22) | Michael Olowokandi (12) | Sam Cassell (7) | Target Center<br>19,159 | 53âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 78 | April 4 | Memphis | | Sam Cassell (36) | Kevin Garnett (22) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center<br>19,068 | 54âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 79 | April 8 | @ Sacramento | | Sam Cassell (29) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Kevin Garnett (5) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 55âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 80 | April 9 | @ Golden State | | Kevin Garnett (29) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Sam Cassell (7) | The Arena in Oakland<br>19,753 | 56âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 81 | April 12 | Utah | | Kevin Garnett (21) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sam Cassell (6) | Target Center<br>18,881 | 57âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 82 | April 14 | @ Memphis | | Kevin Garnett (26) | Garnett, Olowokandi (9) | Sam Cassell (8) | Pyramid Arena<br>19,351 | 58âÂÂ24
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | April 18 | Denver | W 106âÂÂ92 | Sam Cassell (40) | Kevin Garnett (20) | Garnett, Sprewell (4) | Target Center<br>18,503 | 1âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | April 21 | Denver | W 95âÂÂ81 | Latrell Sprewell (31) | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Target Center<br>18,101 | 2âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | April 24 | @ Denver | L 86âÂÂ107 | Latrell Sprewell (25) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Kevin Garnett (8) | Pepsi Center<br>19,713 | 2âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | April 27 | @ Denver | W 84âÂÂ82 | Kevin Garnett (27) | Kevin Garnett (14) | Kevin Garnett (5) | Pepsi Center<br>19,694 | 3âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | April 30 | Denver | W 102âÂÂ91 | Kevin Garnett (28) | Garnett, Madsen (7) | Kevin Garnett (8) | Target Center<br>19,890 | 4âÂÂ1 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | May 4 | Sacramento | L 98âÂÂ104 | Sam Cassell (40) | Kevin Garnett (18) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Target Center<br>18,792 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | May 8 | Sacramento | W 94âÂÂ89 | Kevin Garnett (28) | Garnett, Johnson (11) | Sam Cassell (7) | Target Center<br>19,599 | 1âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | May 10 | @ Sacramento | W 114âÂÂ113 (OT) | Kevin Garnett (30) | Kevin Garnett (15) | Latrell Sprewell (6) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 2âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 12 | @ Sacramento | L 81âÂÂ87 | Kevin Garnett (19) | Kevin Garnett (21) | Cassell, Garnett (6) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 2âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | May 14 | Sacramento | W 86âÂÂ74 | Latrell Sprewell (34) | Mark Madsen (13) | Sam Cassell (7) | Target Center<br>19,318 | 3âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | May 16 | @ Sacramento | L 87âÂÂ104 | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Kevin Garnett (5) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 3âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | May 19 | Sacramento | W 83âÂÂ80 | Kevin Garnett (32) | Kevin Garnett (21) | Sam Cassell (7) | Target Center<br>19,944 | 4âÂÂ3 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | May 21 | L.A. Lakers | L 88âÂÂ97 | Latrell Sprewell (23) | Kevin Garnett (10) | Sam Cassell (8) | Target Center<br>19,552 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | May 23 | L.A. Lakers | W 89âÂÂ71 | Kevin Garnett (24) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Latrell Sprewell (8) | Target Center<br>19,707 | 1âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | May 25 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 89âÂÂ100 | Kevin Garnett (22) | Kevin Garnett (11) | Kevin Garnett (7) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 1âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | May 27 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 85âÂÂ92 | Kevin Garnett (28) | Kevin Garnett (13) | Kevin Garnett (9) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 1âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | May 29 | L.A. Lakers | W 98âÂÂ96 | Kevin Garnett (30) | Kevin Garnett (19) | Latrell Sprewell (5) | Target Center<br>20,109 | 2âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | May 31 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 90âÂÂ96 | Latrell Sprewell (27) | Kevin Garnett (17) | Sprewell, Martin (5) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 2âÂÂ4 |-