Minnesota Timberwolves 2022: News, Schedule, Roster, Score, Injury Report

The Minnesota Timberwolves compete in the NBA as part of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference. The Wolves decided on their name after they held a “name the team” contest and finalized between ‘Timberwolves’ and ‘Polars.’ 

The franchise has seen several logo re-brandings over the years, but they’ve always included the iconic Wolf as a part of it. Their most recent logo was unveiled in 2017, which contained massive changes from the previous one.

The logo contains a howling wolf in the foreground, supported by a basketball at the back. The phrase ‘Minnesota Timberwolves’ is arched at the top, and the logo’s color palette is designed to bring out the spirit of the city. 

Minnesota Timberwolves play their home games at the Target Center, which has been their home since 1990. The arena has played host to several events and concerts, and Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA share this arena as their home along with the Wolves.

Who owns the Minnesota Timberwolves? 

Billionaire businessman Glen Taylor owns a majority stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. He also owns a majority stake in the WNBA team Minnesota Lynx and Forbes estimates his Net Worth to be $2.5 billion.

Head Coach and top executives

Chris Finch has been serving as the team’s head coach. The Wolves appointed him after Tom Thibodeau and another interim coach.

Sachin Gupta has executive basketball experience, and that is why the Wolves made him their President of Basketball Operations. Sachin Gupta is also the current General Manager of the team, while Ethan Casson is the CEO of the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

History

The Minnesota Timberwolves were formed in 1989 as the NBA’s expansion team. As mentioned at the top, they got their name by holding a contest. ‘Timberwolves’ was chosen as the most suitable name for the team.

Generally the case with every expansion team, the Minnesota Timberwolves initially struggled in the league. In fact, they failed to qualify for the playoffs during their first seven years in the association. 

The team then made a massive step towards development by signing Kevin Garnett. They selected Garnett with the #5 pick in the 1995 NBA Draft. Upon signing Garnett, the team made their first playoff appearance in 1997. 

Garnett had a visible positive impact on the team and guided them to the playoffs for eight consecutive years. He grew dangerously good as the 2000s decade dawned, but he couldn’t get past the conference finals with the Wolves. 

Kevin Garnett also won his only league MVP award during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged a career-high 24.2 points and 13.9 rebounds during the 2003-04 season while shooting 49.9% from the field. 

The Wolves' downfall began when Kevin Garnett left the team in 2007. The franchise has struggled to get back on a strong note ever since its success days in the early 2000s. In fact, the Wolves have only made the playoffs once since the 2004-05 season. 

Team’s mascot and uniforms

‘Crunch the Wolf’ is the official mascot of the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to the Wolves’ website, Crunch was born in Minnesota wilderness with an undying love for the game and migrated to the franchise once they were formed in the Twin cities. 

He is a regular-entertainer during their home games and stands about six feet tall from the ground. The Wolves have even listed Crunch’s vertical jump as 15 feet (with trampoline)!

The primary uniform colors used by the Wolves are midnight blue, aurora green, grey, and white. These colors take charge in their jerseys and the color scheme varies depending on the type of uniform they wear for each game. 

Team’s sponsors

Electronics and Fitness company ‘Fitbit’ is the main sponsor of the Minnesota Timberwolves. They also endorse their brand through jersey patches. 

Moreover, the franchise also has tie-ups with other companies such as Homestead Road and CFMoto.  

Achievements and History

Minnesota Timberwolves 2021-22 roster