2002–03 Minnesota Timberwolves season explained

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]

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

See main article: article and 2002 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	29	Forfeited pick
2	52		PG		Michigan State

Roster

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

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

2002-03 NBA Records
width=100	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

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 20| L.A. Lakers| L 98–117| Kevin Garnett (23)| Kevin Garnett (14)| Kevin Garnett (7)| Target Center
17,097| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 22| L.A. Lakers| W 119–91| Troy Hudson (37)| Kevin Garnett (20)| Troy Hudson (10)| Target Center
17,132| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 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|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 27| @ L.A. Lakers| L 97–102| Garnett, Hudson (28)| Kevin Garnett (18)| Kevin Garnett (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| April 29| L.A. Lakers| L 90–120| Kevin Garnett (25)| Kevin Garnett (16)| Troy Hudson (7)| Target Center
20,098| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| May 1| @ L.A. Lakers| L 85–101| Garnett, Hudson (18)| Kevin Garnett (12)| Garnett, Szczerbiak (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 2–4|-

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	PF	82	82	3,321	1,102	495	113	129	1,883	40.5	13.4	6.0	1.4	1.6	23.0
	SG	82	39	2,245	241	244	72	13	630	27.4	2.9	3.0	.9	.2	7.7
	SG	82	34	2,068	248	156	78	15	714	25.2	3.0	1.9	1.0	.2	8.7
	SF	80	22	1,222	291	77	32	23	476	15.3	3.6	1.0	.4	.3	6.0
	PG	79	74	2,600	183	452	60	7	1,123	32.9	2.3	5.7	.8	.1	14.2
	C	77	77	2,337	504	114	39	116	861	30.4	6.5	1.5	.5	1.5	11.2
	C	77	0	1,041	225	37	24	30	421	13.5	2.9	.5	.3	.4	5.5
	SF	54	21	1,117	270	38	14	55	404	20.7	5.0	.7	.3	1.0	7.5
	SF	52	42	1,836	241	136	44	22	913	35.3	4.6	2.6	.8	.4	17.6
	PG	47	8	956	95	215	46	6	320	20.3	2.0	4.6	1.0	.1	6.8
	PG	42	0	244	17	33	4	0	78	5.8	.4	.8	.1	.0	1.9
	C	38	11	353	95	19	10	13	80	9.3	2.5	.5	.3	.3	2.1
^†	PG	31	0	324	30	50	11	3	62	10.5	1.0	1.6	.4	.1	2.0
	PF	26	0	141	31	4	6	1	81	5.4	1.2	.2	.2	.0	3.1

Playoffs

Player
	PF	6	6	265	94	31	10	10	162	44.2	15.7	5.2	1.7	1.7	27.0
	SF	6	6	252	30	13	6	1	87	42.0	5.0	2.2	1.0	.2	14.5
	PG	6	6	221	12	33	8	0	141	36.8	2.0	5.5	1.3	.0	23.5
	C	6	6	169	30	4	1	4	42	28.2	5.0	.7	.2	.7	7.0
	SG	6	5	166	21	18	4	1	29	27.7	3.5	3.0	.7	.2	4.8
	SG	6	0	118	13	7	4	1	31	19.7	2.2	1.2	.7	.2	5.2
	C	6	0	110	33	8	2	1	50	18.3	5.5	1.3	.3	.2	8.3
	PG	6	0	73	6	17	4	2	28	12.2	1.0	2.8	.7	.3	4.7
	SF	6	0	42	7	1	1	0	14	7.0	1.2	.2	.2	.0	2.3
	SF	5	1	40	6	0	1	1	14	8.0	1.2	.0	.2	.2	2.8
	PG	4	0	7	0	0	0	0	3	1.8	.0	.0	.0	.0	.8
	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

See also

• 2002-03 NBA season

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2003.html 2002-03 Minnesota Timberwolves
2. News: Report: Wolves Sign G Troy Hudson . United Press International . August 26, 2002 . June 11, 2022.
3. News: Timberwolves Sign Kendall Gill . United Press International . September 26, 2002 . June 11, 2022.
4. News: WESTERN CONFERENCE: Team-by-Team Preview . The New York Times . October 28, 2002 . July 16, 2022.
5. News: Associated Press . Garnett Is the M.V.P. in Jordan's Final All-Star Game . The New York Times . February 9, 2003 . January 13, 2022.
6. News: Wyche . Steve . Passing the Torch . The Washington Post . February 10, 2003 . June 12, 2022.
7. News: 2003 NBA All-Star Game: West 155, East 145 (2OT) . Basketball-Reference . January 13, 2022.
8. News: NBA & ABA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award Winners . Basketball-Reference . November 29, 2022.
9. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Duncan Is M.V.P. Once Again . The New York Times . May 5, 2003 . June 11, 2022.
10. News: Teaford . Elliott . Duncan to Win Second MVP in a Row . Los Angeles Times . May 4, 2003 . September 13, 2022.
11. News: Associated Press . Wallace Chosen Best Defender . Los Angeles Times . April 24, 2003 . September 13, 2022.
12. News: 2002–03 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . February 2, 2022.
13. News: Timberwolves' Hudson Hurts Ankle . Midland Daily News . January 12, 2003 . June 11, 2022.
14. News: Heisler . Mark . He's Guy Bringing Dread to the Lakers . Los Angeles Times . April 28, 2003 . October 27, 2022.
15. News: NBA Games Played on February 6, 2003 . Basketball-Reference . September 13, 2022.
16. Web site: 2002–03 Minnesota Timberwolves Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. January 13, 2022.
17. Web site: 2002–03 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. February 2, 2022.
18. News: Wise . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Looking Like Champs, Lakers Advance . The New York Times . May 2, 2003 . January 13, 2022.
19. News: Brown . Tim . Lakers Earn Their Spurs . Los Angeles Times . May 2, 2003 . June 11, 2022.
20. News: Neiman . David . Lakers Finish Timberwolves to Advance to West Semis . The Washington Post . May 2, 2003 . November 27, 2022.
21. News: Broussard . Chris . PRO BASKETBALL; In Fallout from Draft, Bucks Trade Cassell . The New York Times . June 28, 2003 . June 11, 2022.
22. News: Bucks Send Cassell to Minnesota . United Press International . June 27, 2003 . October 27, 2022.
23. News: Kings Ink Anthony Peeler . United Press International . August 15, 2003 . July 15, 2022.
24. News: Johnson . K.C. . Kendall Gill's 'Pizza' Diet . Chicago Tribune . October 28, 2003 . October 27, 2022.
25. News: Sprewell Is Part of 4-Team Trade . Los Angeles Times . July 24, 2003 . July 15, 2022.