# 2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season

The 2001–02 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 13th season in the National Basketball Association. The Timberwolves were able to re-sign free agent Joe Smith during the off-season, with Smith arriving from the Detroit Pistons, where he played the previous season. In addition, the team also signed free agent Gary Trent.
The Timberwolves won nine of their first ten games, which led them to a 28–9 start as of January 15, 2002, but started to slow down a bit holding a 33–16 record at the All-Star break. Terrell Brandon sustained a knee injury after 32 games and was out for the remainder of the season, as the team suffered a 7-game losing streak in March. At mid-season, the team traded Dean Garrett to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for second-year center Marc Jackson, and signed free agent Robert Pack in March. The Timberwolves finished third in the Midwest Division with a solid 50–32 record.
Kevin Garnett continued to establish himself as one of the top players in the NBA averaging 21.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Wally Szczerbiak averaged 18.7 points per game, which was second on the team in scoring, while Chauncey Billups provided the team with 12.5 points and 5.5 assists per game, Brandon contributed 12.4 points, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and Smith provided with 10.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Garnett and Szczerbiak were both selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Garnett also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
However, in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks in three straight games, and losing in the opening round of the playoffs for the sixth straight season.
Following the season, Billups signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons, while Pack was released to free agency, and veteran forward Sam Mitchell, who was the only member left from the team's inaugural season, retired.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 29 | Forfeited pick | | | |
| 2 | 45 | Loren Woods | C | United States | Arizona |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | – | 32–9 | 26–15 | 21–3 |
| x-Dallas Mavericks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 1 | 30–11 | 27–14 | 16–8 |
| x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 50 | 32 | .610 | 8 | 29–12 | 21–20 | 15–9 |
| x-Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 14 | 25–16 | 19–22 | 8–16 |
| Houston Rockets | 28 | 54 | .341 | 30 | 18–23 | 10–31 | 9–15 |
| Denver Nuggets | 27 | 55 | .329 | 31 | 20–21 | 7–34 | 8–16 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 23 | 59 | .280 | 35 | 15–26 | 8–33 | 7–17 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Sacramento Kings | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
| 2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | 3 |
| 3 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 3 |
| 4 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 4 |
| 5 | x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
| 6 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 12 |
| 7 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 16 |
| 8 | x-Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 17 |
| 9 | Los Angeles Clippers | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
| 10 | Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 25 |
| 11 | Houston Rockets | 28 | 54 | .341 | 33 |
| 12 | Denver Nuggets | 27 | 55 | .329 | 34 |
| 13 | Memphis Grizzlies | 23 | 59 | .280 | 38 |
| 14 | Golden State Warriors | 21 | 61 | .256 | 40 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

2001-02 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–3 |
| Boston | 2–2 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 2–2 | 1–2 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Chicago | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Cleveland | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | — | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Detroit | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Memphis | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 |
| Miami | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | — | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| New Jersey | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| New York | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| Orlando | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | — | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Seattle | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Toronto | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 |
| Washington | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | — |

### Game log
## Playoffs

2002 playoff game log :
First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 21
@ Dallas
L 94–101
Chauncey Billups (25)
Kevin Garnett (21)
Chauncey Billups (9)
American Airlines Center 20,010
0–1
2
April 24
@ Dallas
L 110–122
Kevin Garnett (31)
Kevin Garnett (18)
Billups, Garnett (4)
American Airlines Center 20,084
0–2
3
April 28
Dallas
L 102–115
Kevin Garnett (22)
Kevin Garnett (17)
Kevin Garnett (5)
Target Center 18,795
0–3 :
2002 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Ragular season

| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Wally Szczerbiak | SF | 82 | 82 | 3,117 | 391 | 257 | 66 | 21 | 1,531 | 38.0 | 4.8 | 3.1 | .8 | .3 | 18.7 |
| Rasho Nesterović | C | 82 | 82 | 2,218 | 534 | 75 | 45 | 109 | 687 | 27.0 | 6.5 | .9 | .5 | 1.3 | 8.4 |
| Chauncey Billups | PG | 82 | 54 | 2,355 | 226 | 450 | 66 | 17 | 1,027 | 28.7 | 2.8 | 5.5 | .8 | .2 | 12.5 |
| Anthony Peeler | SG | 82 | 0 | 2,060 | 206 | 177 | 61 | 11 | 737 | 25.1 | 2.5 | 2.2 | .7 | .1 | 9.0 |
| Kevin Garnett | PF | 81 | 81 | 3,175 | 981 | 422 | 96 | 126 | 1,714 | 39.2 | 12.1 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 21.2 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 74 | 10 | 726 | 82 | 45 | 12 | 4 | 244 | 9.8 | 1.1 | .6 | .2 | .1 | 3.3 |
| Joe Smith | C | 72 | 63 | 1,922 | 453 | 82 | 39 | 59 | 767 | 26.7 | 6.3 | 1.1 | .5 | .8 | 10.7 |
| Felipe López | SG | 67 | 0 | 581 | 80 | 39 | 18 | 1 | 169 | 8.7 | 1.2 | .6 | .3 | .0 | 2.5 |
| Gary Trent | PF | 64 | 10 | 1,140 | 270 | 60 | 21 | 27 | 478 | 17.8 | 4.2 | .9 | .3 | .4 | 7.5 |
| Loren Woods | C | 60 | 0 | 516 | 122 | 22 | 17 | 34 | 110 | 8.6 | 2.0 | .4 | .3 | .6 | 1.8 |
| Terrell Brandon | PG | 32 | 28 | 962 | 93 | 264 | 52 | 6 | 397 | 30.1 | 2.9 | 8.3 | 1.6 | .2 | 12.4 |
| Dean Garrett$^†$ | C | 29 | 0 | 152 | 47 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 28 | 5.2 | 1.6 | .1 | .2 | .3 | 1.0 |
| William Avery | PG | 28 | 0 | 258 | 24 | 36 | 7 | 0 | 71 | 9.2 | .9 | 1.3 | .3 | .0 | 2.5 |
| Marc Jackson$^†$ | C | 22 | 0 | 326 | 85 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 102 | 14.8 | 3.9 | .3 | .3 | .1 | 4.6 |
| Robert Pack | PG | 16 | 0 | 252 | 23 | 49 | 13 | 0 | 62 | 15.8 | 1.4 | 3.1 | .8 | .0 | 3.9 |
| Maurice Evans | SG | 10 | 0 | 45 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4.5 | .4 | .4 | .0 | .0 | 2.1 |
* $^†$ 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 |
| Chauncey Billups | PG | 3 | 3 | 134 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 66 | 44.7 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 1.0 | .3 | 22.0 |
| Wally Szczerbiak | SF | 3 | 3 | 131 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 43.7 | 7.0 | 2.0 | .7 | .0 | 20.0 |
| Kevin Garnett | PF | 3 | 3 | 130 | 56 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 72 | 43.3 | 18.7 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 24.0 |
| Rasho Nesterović | C | 3 | 3 | 92 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 30.7 | 6.7 | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | 11.3 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 3 | 2 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 11.3 | .7 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | 2.7 |
| Joe Smith | C | 3 | 1 | 43 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 14.3 | 3.7 | .0 | .0 | .3 | 4.3 |
| Anthony Peeler | SG | 3 | 0 | 67 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 22.3 | 4.3 | .7 | 1.3 | .0 | 9.0 |
| Gary Trent | PF | 3 | 0 | 48 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 16.0 | 3.0 | .3 | .0 | .0 | 6.3 |
| Felipe López | SG | 3 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10.0 | .3 | .3 | .3 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Robert Pack | PG | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3.3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Marc Jackson | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |

## Awards and records

* Kevin Garnett, All-NBA Second Team
* Kevin Garnett, NBA All-Defensive First Team