Do the names of some sports teams baffle you? Often times, we hear a team name over and over again, not sure what it is. For example, there are the Minnesota Timberwolves. We know that wood includes trees that produce wood for the construction of houses and furniture. We know that wolves are wild mammals. Are wolves Timberwolves that live in forests?
Actually, a timber wolf is another name for the gray wolf. A distant relative of the domestic dog, forest wolves actually live in forests. However, they also reside in other areas such as mountains, grasslands, and even urban regions. A “name the team” contest named the Minnesota Timberwolves as such, as the name defeated the other finalist, “Polars.” “Timberwolves” is quite appropriate, considering that more timber wolves live in Minnesota than in any of the other continental United States. Here are some interesting facts about wolves:
o Wolves are the largest wild canines
o Wolves have 42 teeth
o Wolf jaws can create up to 1,500 pounds per square inch of pressure
o Wolves chew food little
o The size of the liters of wolves varies from 4 to 7 cubs
Two decades after professional basketball left Minnesota, the state welcomed the Timberwolves as an expanding team. The Lakers and two ABA teams had previously called Minnesota home. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves lost their first franchise game of the 1989-1990 season, to the Seattle Supersonics: 106-94. Unfortunately, the end result of the season was also unfavorable, with the Timberwolves winning a 22-60 record.
However, as time passed, the Timberwolves went from puppies to adult canines. During the 2003-2004 season, they achieved their greatest success. Key players included Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell, and Latrell Spreewell. At the end of the season, the Timberwolves had posted a 58-24 record (.707 winning percentage). This was the highest record in the franchise and the best record in the Western Conference that year.
In the playoffs, the Timberwolves pounced on the Denver Nuggets like they were chicken nuggets, winning the series with ease (4-1). The Timberwolves then beat the Sacramento Kings in the next round of the playoffs (4-3). Unfortunately, the Timberwolves later faced the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. The Lakers were simply too powerful and had too much experience in the playoffs. They defeated the Timberwolves with relative ease (4-2).
Without a doubt, Kevin Garnett has been the most important player for the Timberwolves during the short history of the franchise. The Timberwolves selected Garnett as the fifth overall pick during the 1995 NBA Draft. Then, in 2004, Garnett captured the NBA MVP award. Garnett was the first player in more than two decades that an NBA team drafted directly from high school to the NBA. In addition to leading the Timberwolves to the NBA Finals in 2004, Garnett won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics (2000) and won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics (2008).
The Minnesota Timberwolves have returned basketball to Minnesota. Although they are a young team, they have advanced to two games in the NBA Finals. Use Minnesota Timberwolves merchandise to cheer on the team as they seek their first NBA championship!