The NBA Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team play in the Western Conference’s Northwest Division as part of the National Basketball Association. The Timberwolves are based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota and all of their home games are played at Target Center. The most successful season for the Timberwolves was 2003-2004. That year, Kevin Garnett was named MVP and helped lead Minnesota to eight playoff appearances in a row.

In 1960, the Minneapolis Lakers left the Twin Cities for Los Angeles. NBA basketball did not return to Minneapolis until 1989. On April 22, 1987, the NBA granted expansion teams to Minneapolis, Miami, Charlotte and Orlando. The teams began play during the 1989-90 season.

The Timberwolves saw their greatest success after drafting Kevin Garnett, a high school standout, during the 1995 draft. Garnett, Stephon Marbury and Tom Gugliotta helped led the Timberwolves into the playoffs in 1996 for the franchise’s first ever appearance. However, they were swept in 3 games by Houston. Minnesota made the playoffs the next year, with Garnett averaging 18.5 points per game and 9.6 rebounds a game and Marbury averaged 8.6 assists a game and 17.7 points per game. The Timberwolves also made the playoffs for eight years in a row through the 2003-2004 season.

On July 31, 2007, Kevin Garnett was trade by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics in exchange for cash considerations, two draft picks in the first round, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff and Al Jefferson, ending the Garnett era in Minneapolis.