2002–03 Minnesota Timberwolves season

The 2002–03 NBA season was the 14th season the Timberwolves has competed in the National Basketball Association.^[1] During the off-season, the Timberwolves signed free agents Troy Hudson and Kendall Gill.^[2][3][4] Kevin Garnett performed well throughout the season, winning the All-Star MVP award in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta,^[5][6][7][8] and finishing second in MVP voting behind MVP Tim Duncan with 43 first-place votes,^[9][10] plus also finishing in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.^[11][12] Despite losing both Terrell Brandon and Felipe Lopez for the entire season to knee injuries,^[13][14] the Timberwolves posted a 12–1 record in February, held a 29–20 record at the All-Star break,^[15] and finished the season with a 51–31 record, good enough to earn the fourth seed in the Western Conference and home court advantage for the playoffs.^[16]

2002–03 Minnesota Timberwolves season
Head coach	Flip Saunders
General manager	Kevin McHale
Owner(s)	Glen Taylor
Arena	Target Center
Results
Record	51–31 (.622)
Place	Division: 3rd (Midwest) Conference: 4th (Western)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Lakers 2–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KMSP-TV WFTC Fox Sports Net North
Radio	WFAN
< 2001–02 2003–04 >

Garnett averaged 23.0 points, 13.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Wally Szczerbiak averaged 17.6 points per game, while Hudson provided the team with 14.2 points and 5.7 assists per game, Rasho Nesterovic provided with 11.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and Joe Smith contributed 7.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.^[17]

However, for the seventh straight year in the Garnett era, the Timberwolves did not make it out of the first round of the playoffs, as they lost to the 5th-seeded and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the Western Conference First Round.^[18][19][20] Following the season, Smith was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks,^[21][22] while Anthony Peeler signed as a free agent with the Sacramento Kings,^[23] Gill signed with the Chicago Bulls,^[24] and Brandon was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.^[25]

Draft picks

Main article: 2002 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	29	Forfeited pick
2	52	Marcus Taylor	PG	United States	Michigan State

Roster

2002–03 Minnesota Timberwolves roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 7 Terrell Brandon (IN) 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1970–05–20 Oregon F 21 Kevin Garnett 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1976–05–19 Farragut Academy (IL) G 9 Kendall Gill 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1968–05–25 Illinois G 16 Troy Hudson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1976–03–13 Southern Illinois C 25 Marc Jackson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 270 lb (122 kg) 1975–01–16 Temple G 13 Felipe López (IN) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1974–12–19 St. John's C 8 Rasho Nesterović 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1976–05–30 Slovenia G 44 Anthony Peeler 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1969–11–25 Missouri G 36 Igor Rakocevic 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 183 lb (83 kg) 1978–03–29 Serbia F 32 Joe Smith 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1975–07–26 Maryland G 1 Rod Strickland 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1966–07–11 DePaul F 10 Wally Szczerbiak 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 244 lb (111 kg) 1977–03–05 Miami (OH) F 20 Gary Trent 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1974–09–22 Ohio G 29 Mike Wilks 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1979–05–07 Rice C 3 Loren Woods 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1978–06–21 Arizona

Head coach Flip Saunders Assistant(s) Greg Ballard Jerry Sichting Randy Wittman Don Zierden Gregg Farnam (trainer) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (IN) Inactive Injured Roster Updated: February 12, 2003

Roster Notes

• Point guard Terrell Brandon missed the entire season due to a knee injury.
• Shooting guard Felipe Lopez missed the entire season due to a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee.

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-San Antonio Spurs	60	22	.732	–	33–8	27–14	17–7
x-Dallas Mavericks	60	22	.732	–	33–8	27–14	18–6
x-Minnesota Timberwolves	51	31	.622	9	33–8	18–23	15–9
x-Utah Jazz	47	35	.573	13	29–12	18–23	15–9
e-Houston Rockets	43	39	.524	17	28–13	15–26	11–13
e-Memphis Grizzlies	28	54	.341	32	20–21	8–33	5–17
e-Denver Nuggets	17	65	.207	43	13–28	4–37	3–21

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-San Antonio Spurs	60	22	.732	–
2	y-Sacramento Kings	59	23	.720	1
3	x-Dallas Mavericks	60	22	.732	–
4	x-Minnesota Timberwolves	51	31	.622	9
5	x-Los Angeles Lakers	50	32	.610	10
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	50	32	.610	10
7	x-Utah Jazz	47	35	.573	13
8	x-Phoenix Suns	44	38	.537	16
9	e-Houston Rockets	43	39	.524	17
10	e-Seattle SuperSonics	40	42	.488	20
11	e-Golden State Warriors	38	44	.463	22
12	e-Memphis Grizzlies	28	54	.341	32
13	e-Los Angeles Clippers	27	55	.329	33
14	e-Denver Nuggets	17	65	.207	43

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

2002-03 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOH	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	0–3	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–2
Boston	3–0	–	2–2	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–2	2–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	3–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–3
Chicago	2–2	2–2	–	3–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–3
Cleveland	0–4	0–4	1–3	–	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–2	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–4
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	–	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Denver	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	–	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
Detroit	3–1	2–2	4–0	4–0	0–2	2–0	–	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–0	3–1
Golden State	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	1–1	–	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Houston	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	0–2	3–1	–	1–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–3	1–1
Indiana	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	0–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–2	3–1	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–2
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	–	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	–	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–1
Memphis	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–4	–	2–0	2–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Miami	3–1	2–2	2–1	2–1	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	–	1–3	1–1	0–4	0–4	2–2	0–4	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	0–2	1–3
Milwaukee	2–2	2–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	–	0–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–1
Minnesota	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	–	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–0
New Jersey	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	–	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	3–1
New Orleans	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	–	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–1
New York	3–1	0–4	1–2	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	1–3	–	2–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–2
Orlando	1–2	2–3	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–2	1–1	0–2	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	–	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	2–2	–	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–1	4–0
Phoenix	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	–	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Portland	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–3	–	1–3	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–3	1–1
Sacramento	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	–	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–0
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	–	3–1	2–0	4–0	1–1
Seattle	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–3	1–3	–	2–0	2–2	1–1
Toronto	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	0–2	3–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	–	1–1
Washington	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–2	0–2	1–3	1–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	—

Game log

Playoffs

2003 playoff game log
First round: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 20 L.A. Lakers L 98–117 Kevin Garnett (23) Kevin Garnett (14) Kevin Garnett (7) Target Center 17,097 0–1 2 April 22 L.A. Lakers W 119–91 Troy Hudson (37) Kevin Garnett (20) Troy Hudson (10) Target Center 17,132 1–1 3 April 24 @ L.A. Lakers W 114–110 (OT) Kevin Garnett (33) Kevin Garnett (14) Rod Strickland (7) Staples Center 18,997 2–1 4 April 27 @ L.A. Lakers L 97–102 Garnett, Hudson (28) Kevin Garnett (18) Kevin Garnett (5) Staples Center 18,997 2–2 5 April 29 L.A. Lakers L 90–120 Kevin Garnett (25) Kevin Garnett (16) Troy Hudson (7) Target Center 20,098 2–3 6 May 1 @ L.A. Lakers L 85–101 Garnett, Hudson (18) Kevin Garnett (12) Garnett, Szczerbiak (5) Staples Center 18,997 2–4
2003 schedule

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player	POS	GP	GS	MP	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS	MPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Kevin Garnett	PF	82	82	3,321	1,102	495	113	129	1,883	40.5	13.4	6.0	1.4	1.6	23.0
Anthony Peeler	SG	82	39	2,245	241	244	72	13	630	27.4	2.9	3.0	.9	.2	7.7
Kendall Gill	SG	82	34	2,068	248	156	78	15	714	25.2	3.0	1.9	1.0	.2	8.7
Gary Trent	SF	80	22	1,222	291	77	32	23	476	15.3	3.6	1.0	.4	.3	6.0
Troy Hudson	PG	79	74	2,600	183	452	60	7	1,123	32.9	2.3	5.7	.8	.1	14.2
Rasho Nesterović	C	77	77	2,337	504	114	39	116	861	30.4	6.5	1.5	.5	1.5	11.2
Marc Jackson	C	77	0	1,041	225	37	24	30	421	13.5	2.9	.5	.3	.4	5.5
Joe Smith	SF	54	21	1,117	270	38	14	55	404	20.7	5.0	.7	.3	1.0	7.5
Wally Szczerbiak	SF	52	42	1,836	241	136	44	22	913	35.3	4.6	2.6	.8	.4	17.6
Rod Strickland	PG	47	8	956	95	215	46	6	320	20.3	2.0	4.6	1.0	.1	6.8
Igor Rakočević	PG	42	0	244	17	33	4	0	78	5.8	.4	.8	.1	.0	1.9
Loren Woods	C	38	11	353	95	19	10	13	80	9.3	2.5	.5	.3	.3	2.1
Mike Wilks†	PG	31	0	324	30	50	11	3	62	10.5	1.0	1.6	.4	.1	2.0
Reggie Slater	PF	26	0	141	31	4	6	1	81	5.4	1.2	.2	.2	.0	3.1

• ^† 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
Kevin Garnett	PF	6	6	265	94	31	10	10	162	44.2	15.7	5.2	1.7	1.7	27.0
Wally Szczerbiak	SF	6	6	252	30	13	6	1	87	42.0	5.0	2.2	1.0	.2	14.5
Troy Hudson	PG	6	6	221	12	33	8	0	141	36.8	2.0	5.5	1.3	.0	23.5
Rasho Nesterović	C	6	6	169	30	4	1	4	42	28.2	5.0	.7	.2	.7	7.0
Anthony Peeler	SG	6	5	166	21	18	4	1	29	27.7	3.5	3.0	.7	.2	4.8
Kendall Gill	SG	6	0	118	13	7	4	1	31	19.7	2.2	1.2	.7	.2	5.2
Marc Jackson	C	6	0	110	33	8	2	1	50	18.3	5.5	1.3	.3	.2	8.3
Rod Strickland	PG	6	0	73	6	17	4	2	28	12.2	1.0	2.8	.7	.3	4.7
Gary Trent	SF	6	0	42	7	1	1	0	14	7.0	1.2	.2	.2	.0	2.3
Joe Smith	SF	5	1	40	6	0	1	1	14	8.0	1.2	.0	.2	.2	2.8
Mike Wilks	PG	4	0	7	0	0	0	0	3	1.8	.0	.0	.0	.0	.8
Loren Woods	C	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	2	1.0	.5	.0	.0	.0	1.0

Awards and records

• Kevin Garnett, All-NBA First Team
• Kevin Garnett, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Kevin Garnett, NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award

Transactions