1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season
NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 9th season in the National Basketball Association .[ 1] During the off-season, the Timberwolves acquired Stanley Roberts from the Los Angeles Clippers ,[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] and later on signed free agent Tom Hammonds in November.[ 5] [ 6] In October, All-Star forward Kevin Garnett signed a six-year contract extension with the Timberwolves, which was worth $126 million.[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
After a 4–1 start to the season, the team played around .500 before posting a seven-game winning streak in January. However, they would lose Tom Gugliotta for the remainder of the season to an ankle injury after 41 games.[ 11] [ 12] [ 13] Chris Carr , who became the team's starting shooting guard this season, also went down with an ankle injury, only playing 51 games.[ 14] At mid-season, the team traded long-time guard Doug West to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Anthony Peeler .[ 15] [ 16] [ 17] [ 18] The Timberwolves held a 26–20 record at the All-Star break,[ 19] and won seven of their final eight games posting their first winning record at 45–37, third place in the Midwest Division, and making their second consecutive playoff appearance.[ 20]
Garnett and second-year star Stephon Marbury both continued to establish themselves as two of the brightest stars in the NBA, as Garnett averaged 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, and was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York City, New York ,[ 21] [ 22] [ 23] [ 24] and also finished tied in eleventh place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,[ 25] [ 26] while Marbury averaged 17.7 points, 8.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. In addition, Gugliotta provided the team with 20.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, while Sam Mitchell provided with 12.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, Carr contributed 9.9 points per game, and Terry Porter contributed 9.5 points and 3.3 assists per game off the bench. On the defensive side, Cherokee Parks averaged 7.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Roberts contributed 6.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and Hammonds provided with 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game off the bench.[ 27]
In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs , the Timberwolves faced off against the 2nd-seeded Seattle SuperSonics . After losing Game 1 on the road, 108–83, the Timberwolves won their first ever playoff game with a 98–93 road win in Game 2.[ 28] [ 29] Despite taking a 2–1 series lead,[ 30] [ 31] [ 32] the Timberwolves would lose the next two games to the SuperSonics, thus losing the series in five games.[ 33] [ 34] [ 35] [ 36]
Following the season, Gugliotta signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns ,[ 37] [ 38] [ 39] [ 40] while Porter signed with the Miami Heat ,[ 39] [ 41] [ 42] [ 43] Roberts signed with the Houston Rockets ,[ 44] Parks signed with the Vancouver Grizzlies ,[ 45] and the oft-injured Michael Williams , who returned to play for the Timberwolves for the first time in two years due to a left heel injury,[ 46] [ 47] was released to free agency.[ 48]
Draft picks
Roster
1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
G
43
Carr, Chris
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
207 lb (94 kg)
1974–03–12
Southern Illinois
F
17
Curley, Bill
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1972–05–29
Boston College
F/C
21
Garnett, Kevin
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1976–05–19
Farragut Academy (IL)
F
24
Gugliotta, Tom
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
1969–12–19
NC State
F
20
Hammonds, Tom
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1967–03–27
Georgia Tech
G
31
Jordan, Reggie
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1968–01–26
New Mexico State
G
3
Marbury, Stephon
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
1977–02–20
Georgia Tech
F
42
Mitchell, Sam
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1963–09–02
Mercer
C
44
Parks, Cherokee
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1972–10–11
Duke
G
1
Peeler, Anthony
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
208 lb (94 kg)
1969–11–25
Missouri
G
30
Porter, Terry
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1963–04–08
UW–Stevens Point
C
53
Roberts, Stanley
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
285 lb (129 kg)
1970–02–07
LSU
G
6
Wheat, DeJuan
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
165 lb (75 kg)
1973–10–14
Louisville
G
4
Williams, Micheal
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1966–07–23
Baylor
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended(IN) Inactive Injured
Roster Last transaction: February 18, 1998
Roster Notes
Regular season
Season standings
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1997-98 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
TOR
UTA
VAN
WAS
Atlanta
–
2–1
4–0
1–3
4–0
2–0
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–0
0–2
1–3
3–1
0–2
1–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
4–0
0–2
2–0
4–0
Boston
1–2
–
1–2
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
0–4
2–0
1–1
0–4
2–2
1–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–0
0–2
2–0
3–2
Charlotte
0–4
2–1
–
1–3
2–2
2–0
2–0
3–1
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
2–2
1–3
3–1
2–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–2
Chicago
3–1
3–1
3–1
–
2–2
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
2–1
4–0
1–1
4–0
4–0
3–1
2–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
4–0
0–2
2–0
3–1
Cleveland
0–4
3–1
2–2
2–2
–
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
2–0
3–1
1–2
2–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
0–2
0–2
3–1
1–1
2–0
1–2
Dallas
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
–
3–1
0–2
1–3
0–4
1–1
1–3
0–4
0–2
0–2
2–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–4
0–4
0–4
0–4
2–2
1–1
0–4
4–0
1–1
Denver
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–3
–
0–2
1–3
0–4
0–2
2–2
0–4
0–2
0–2
1–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–4
2–2
1–3
0–4
0–4
0–2
0–4
1–3
1–1
Detroit
2–2
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–0
2–0
–
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–0
0–2
1–2
2–2
0–2
2–2
2–2
1–2
3–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–0
0–2
0–2
2–2
Golden State
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
3–1
3–1
0–2
–
1–3
0–2
1–3
1–3
0–2
0–2
0–4
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–4
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
0–2
0–4
1–3
0–2
Houston
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
4–0
4–0
1–1
3–1
–
1–1
4–0
1–3
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–3
4–0
2–2
1–3
2–0
0–4
3–1
1–1
Indiana
3–1
4–0
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
–
2–0
0–2
3–1
4–0
2–0
2–1
2–1
3–1
4–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
0–2
4–0
1–1
2–0
4–0
L.A. Clippers
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
3–1
2–2
0–2
3–1
0–4
0–2
–
0–4
0–2
0–2
0–4
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–4
0–4
3–1
1–3
0–4
1–1
1–3
1–3
0–2
L.A. Lakers
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
4–0
2–0
3–1
3–1
2–0
4–0
–
1–1
2–0
4–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–2
2–2
4–0
4–0
1–3
2–0
3–1
4–0
1–1
Miami
3–1
4–0
1–3
1–2
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–1
2–0
2–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
–
3–1
1–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
4–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
0–2
0–2
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–2
Milwaukee
1–3
2–2
1–3
0–4
2–2
2–0
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
0–4
2–0
0–2
1–3
–
1–1
0–4
3–1
2–1
2–2
0–2
2–0
2–0
0–2
1–1
3–1
0–2
1–1
1–2
Minnesota
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–2
3–1
2–0
4–0
3–1
0–2
4–0
0–4
1–1
1–1
–
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
3–1
1–3
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–3
4–0
0–2
New Jersey
2–1
2–2
2–2
0–4
1–3
2–0
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–2
1–1
1–1
1–3
4–0
0–2
–
2–2
3–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
3–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
New York
2–2
2–2
3–1
0–4
2–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–2
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–3
1–1
2–2
–
4–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–1
0–2
2–0
1–3
Orlando
2–2
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–0
2–0
2–1
1–1
2–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
1–3
1–2
2–0
1–3
0–4
–
4–0
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–1
0–2
2–0
3–1
Philadelphia
1–3
1–3
1–2
1–2
1–3
2–0
2–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
0–4
1–1
2–0
0–4
2–2
0–2
1–3
2–2
0–4
–
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
0–2
2–0
3–1
Phoenix
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–0
4–0
1–1
4–0
3–1
1–1
4–0
2–2
2–0
2–0
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
–
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–0
1–3
4–0
1–1
Portland
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
4–0
2–2
2–0
3–1
3–1
1–1
4–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
3–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–2
–
3–1
2–2
0–4
2–0
3–1
2–2
1–1
Sacramento
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
4–0
3–1
1–1
2–2
0–4
0–2
1–3
0–4
0–2
0–2
1–3
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–3
1–3
–
0–4
1–3
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
San Antonio
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
4–0
4–0
1–1
3–1
2–2
2–0
3–1
0–4
2–0
2–0
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–3
2–2
4–0
–
2–2
2–0
1–3
4–0
1–1
Seattle
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
4–0
2–0
3–1
3–1
2–0
4–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
4–0
3–1
2–2
–
2–0
2–2
4–0
1–1
Toronto
0–4
0–3
0–4
0–4
1–3
1–1
2–0
0–4
2–0
0–2
0–4
1–1
0–2
0–4
1–3
1–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
–
0–2
1–1
0–3
Utah
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
4–0
2–0
4–0
4–0
1–1
3–1
1–3
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
1–3
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–0
–
4–0
0–2
Vancouver
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–4
3–1
2–0
3–1
1–3
0–2
3–1
0–4
0–2
1–1
0–4
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–4
2–2
2–2
0–4
0–4
1–1
0–4
–
1–1
Washington
0–4
2–3
2–2
1–3
2–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–0
1–1
0–4
2–0
1–1
2–2
2–1
2–0
3–1
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–0
2–0
1–1
—
Game log
Playoffs
1998 playoff game log
First round: 2–3 (home: 1–1; road: 1–2)
1998 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
3,222
786
348
139
150
1,518
39.3
9.6
4.2
1.7
1.8
18.5
Stephon Marbury
PG
82
81
3,112
230
704
104
7
1,450
38.0
2.8
8.6
1.3
.1
17.7
Terry Porter
PG
82
8
1,786
168
271
63
16
777
21.8
2.0
3.3
.8
.2
9.5
Sam Mitchell
SF
81
33
2,239
385
107
64
22
1,000
27.6
4.8
1.3
.8
.3
12.3
Cherokee Parks
C
79
43
1,703
437
53
36
86
558
21.6
5.5
.7
.5
1.1
7.1
Stanley Roberts
C
74
44
1,328
363
27
24
72
457
17.9
4.9
.4
.3
1.0
6.2
Tom Hammonds
PF
57
2
1,140
271
36
15
17
346
20.0
4.8
.6
.3
.3
6.1
Reggie Jordan
SG
57
1
487
97
50
35
9
149
8.5
1.7
.9
.6
.2
2.6
Chris Carr
SG
51
40
1,165
155
85
17
11
504
22.8
3.0
1.7
.3
.2
9.9
Tom Gugliotta
SF
41
41
1,582
356
167
61
22
823
38.6
8.7
4.1
1.5
.5
20.1
Doug West
SG
38
10
688
82
45
11
5
157
18.1
2.2
1.2
.3
.1
4.1
DeJuan Wheat
PG
34
0
150
11
25
6
1
57
4.4
.3
.7
.2
.0
1.7
Anthony Peeler †
SG
30
24
991
103
114
52
6
390
33.0
3.4
3.8
1.7
.2
13.0
Micheal Williams
PG
25
0
161
14
32
9
2
64
6.4
.6
1.3
.4
.1
2.6
Bill Curley
PF
11
1
146
28
4
3
1
34
13.3
2.5
.4
.3
.1
3.1
Clifford Rozier
C
6
0
30
6
0
0
0
6
5.0
1.0
.0
.0
.0
1.0
† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Timberwolves only.
Playoffs
Awards and records
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adding to it .
(February 2013 )
Transactions
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adding to it .
(February 2013 )
References
^ 1997-98 Minnesota Timberwolves
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^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 26, 1997). "Draft Over, But Not Finished" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 14, 2022 .
^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 27, 1997). "Goodbye, Stanley, We Barely Knew You" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 18, 2022 .
^ "The Houston Rockets, Who Will Be Without..." Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. November 26, 1997. Retrieved July 12, 2022 .
^ Facer, Dick (November 30, 1997). "24-Second Clock" . Deseret News . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Garnett's Big Deal: More Than $121 Million" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. October 2, 1997. Retrieved June 27, 2022 .
^ "Minnesota Timberwolves and Kevin Garnett Reach Terms for Record Six-Year, $121 Million" . Associated Press . October 2, 1997. Retrieved June 25, 2022 .
^ Smith, Sam (October 2, 1997). "Garnett Hits Jackpot of $123 Million" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved October 20, 2023 .
^ "Garnett's $126 Million: Wolves' Bargain or Bust?" . Deseret News . Associated Press. October 17, 1997. Retrieved December 12, 2022 .
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^ Smith, Sam (February 20, 1998). "NBA's Rash of Trades Ends with Another Seikaly Deal" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved June 22, 2023 .
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^ "Timberwolves Guard to Get Treatment" . Associated Press . February 23, 1998. Retrieved July 4, 2021 .
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^ "1997–98 All-Star Events and Contestants - in New York" . Eskimo North . Retrieved December 27, 2022 .
^ "1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021 .
^ Bender, Patricia. "1997–98 Regular Season Award Winners" . Eskimo.com . Retrieved December 30, 2024 .
^ "1997–98 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2024 .
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See also
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers Rivalries Culture and lore