Last Updated on September 13, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Minnesota Timberwolves > Roster & Statistics
The Minnesota Timberwolves 1996–97 were led by Tom Gugliotta’s versatile all-around production, with Kevin Garnett emerging as a major frontcourt contributor through scoring, rebounding, and defense in his second season. Terry Porter orchestrated the offense as the primary playmaker, while Stephon Marbury added speed and creation after joining the lineup. The statistics reflect a balanced team that relied on shared scoring, solid rebounding, and improved defensive consistency to reach its first playoff appearance.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Stephon Marbury | PG | 6-2 | 180 | February 20, 1977 | Georgia Tech |
| 5 | Doug West | SG | 6-6 | 200 | May 27, 1967 | Villanova |
| 10 | Shane Heal | PG | 6-0 | 180 | September 6, 1970 | N/A |
| 11 | Stojko Vranković | C | 7-2 | 260 | January 22, 1964 | N/A |
| 21 | Kevin Garnett | SF | 6-11 | 240 | May 19, 1976 | N/A |
| 22 | Dean Garrett | C | 6-11 | 250 | November 27, 1966 | Indiana |
| 24 | Tom Gugliotta | PF | 6-10 | 240 | December 19, 1969 | NC State |
| 26 | James Robinson | PG | 6-2 | 180 | August 31, 1970 | Alabama |
| 30 | Terry Porter | PG | 6-3 | 195 | April 8, 1963 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
| 31 | Reggie Jordan | SG | 6-4 | 195 | January 26, 1968 | New Mexico State |
| 42 | Sam Mitchell | SF | 6-6 | 210 | September 2, 1963 | Mercer University |
| 43 | Chris Carr | SG | 6-5 | 207 | March 12, 1974 | Southern Illinois |
| 44 | Cherokee Parks | PF | 6-11 | 235 | October 11, 1972 | Duke |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | G | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Gugliotta | PF | 27 | 81 | 81 | 38.7 | 20.6 | 8.7 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 16.5 | 7.3 | .442 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .258 | 7.0 | 5.7 | .820 |
| Kevin Garnett | SF | 20 | 77 | 77 | 38.9 | 17.0 | 8.0 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 14.3 | 7.1 | .499 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .286 | 3.5 | 2.7 | .754 |
| Stephon Marbury | PG | 19 | 67 | 64 | 34.7 | 15.8 | 2.7 | 7.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 13.0 | 5.3 | .408 | 4.3 | 1.5 | .354 | 5.0 | 3.7 | .727 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 33 | 82 | 5 | 24.9 | 9.3 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 7.4 | 3.3 | .446 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .160 | 3.6 | 2.7 | .759 |
| James Robinson | PG | 26 | 69 | 5 | 19.0 | 8.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 2.8 | .407 | 3.9 | 1.5 | .382 | 1.7 | 1.1 | .684 |
| Terry Porter | PG | 33 | 82 | 20 | 19.1 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 5.5 | 2.3 | .416 | 2.4 | 0.8 | .335 | 2.0 | 1.5 | .765 |
| Dean Garrett | C | 30 | 68 | 47 | 24.5 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 5.7 | 3.3 | .573 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 | .696 | |
| Doug West | SG | 29 | 68 | 66 | 28.2 | 7.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 7.1 | 3.3 | .467 | 0.7 | 0.2 | .333 | 1.4 | 0.9 | .681 |
| Chris Carr | SG | 22 | 55 | 10 | 15.1 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 2.3 | .461 | 1.6 | 0.6 | .352 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .767 |
| Cherokee Parks | PF | 24 | 76 | 0 | 12.6 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 1.4 | .510 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.6 | .605 |
| Stojko Vranković | C | 33 | 53 | 35 | 14.5 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 1.5 | .561 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | .676 | |
| Reggie Jordan | SG | 29 | 10 | 0 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 | .800 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | .571 | |
| Shane Heal | PG | 26 | 43 | 0 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | .268 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .308 | 0.1 | 0.1 | .600 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.2 | 96.1 | 39.7 | 22.9 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 15.2 | 78.5 | 35.8 | .456 | 13.3 | 4.5 | .339 | 26.6 | 20.0 | .751 |
Playoff Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | G | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephon Marbury | PG | 19 | 3 | 3 | 39.0 | 21.3 | 4.0 | 7.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 21.7 | 8.7 | .400 | 6.7 | 2.0 | .300 | 3.3 | 2.0 | .600 |
| Tom Gugliotta | PF | 27 | 3 | 3 | 40.3 | 18.3 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 17.3 | 7.7 | .442 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .750 | 3.3 | 2.0 | .600 |
| Kevin Garnett | SF | 20 | 3 | 3 | 41.7 | 17.3 | 9.3 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 17.0 | 8.0 | .471 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.000 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 |
| Dean Garrett | C | 30 | 3 | 3 | 39.3 | 12.7 | 11.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 9.7 | 5.0 | .517 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 2.7 | .800 | |
| Doug West | SG | 29 | 3 | 3 | 29.0 | 11.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 7.3 | 4.0 | .545 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.000 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 33 | 3 | 0 | 15.7 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 2.0 | .462 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .625 | |
| Terry Porter | PG | 33 | 3 | 0 | 15.3 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 1.7 | .385 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .333 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .750 |
| James Robinson | PG | 26 | 2 | 0 | 15.5 | 7.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 6.0 | 2.5 | .417 | 5.0 | 2.0 | .400 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Shane Heal | PG | 26 | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Cherokee Parks | PF | 24 | 1 | 0 | 11.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | .667 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Chris Carr | SG | 22 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Stojko Vranković | C | 33 | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Team Totals | 3 | 3 | 240.0 | 99.7 | 38.7 | 24.0 | 7.7 | 4.0 | 9.3 | 88.7 | 40.0 | .451 | 16.7 | 6.3 | .380 | 18.0 | 13.3 | .741 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | G | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Gugliotta | PF | 27 | 81 | 81 | 3131 | 19.2 | 8.1 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 15.4 | 6.8 | .442 | 1.1 | 0.3 | .258 | 6.5 | 5.3 | .820 |
| Kevin Garnett | SF | 20 | 77 | 77 | 2995 | 15.7 | 7.4 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 13.2 | 6.6 | .499 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .286 | 3.3 | 2.5 | .754 |
| Stephon Marbury | PG | 19 | 67 | 64 | 2324 | 16.4 | 2.9 | 8.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 13.5 | 5.5 | .408 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .354 | 5.2 | 3.8 | .727 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 33 | 82 | 5 | 2044 | 13.5 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 10.6 | 4.7 | .446 | 0.4 | 0.1 | .160 | 5.2 | 3.9 | .759 |
| James Robinson | PG | 26 | 69 | 5 | 1309 | 15.7 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 13.3 | 5.4 | .407 | 7.3 | 2.8 | .382 | 3.1 | 2.1 | .684 |
| Terry Porter | PG | 33 | 82 | 20 | 1568 | 13.0 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 10.3 | 4.3 | .416 | 4.6 | 1.5 | .335 | 3.8 | 2.9 | .765 |
| Dean Garrett | C | 30 | 68 | 47 | 1665 | 11.7 | 10.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 8.4 | 4.8 | .573 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | .696 | |
| Doug West | SG | 29 | 68 | 66 | 1920 | 10.0 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 9.1 | 4.2 | .467 | 0.8 | 0.3 | .333 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .681 |
| Chris Carr | SG | 22 | 55 | 10 | 830 | 14.6 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 11.8 | 5.4 | .461 | 3.8 | 1.3 | .352 | 3.2 | 2.4 | .767 |
| Cherokee Parks | PF | 24 | 76 | 0 | 961 | 9.4 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 7.6 | 3.9 | .510 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.8 | 1.7 | .605 |
| Stojko Vranković | C | 33 | 53 | 35 | 766 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 6.5 | 3.7 | .561 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.2 | .676 | |
| Shane Heal | PG | 26 | 43 | 0 | 236 | 11.4 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 14.8 | 4.0 | .268 | 9.9 | 3.1 | .308 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .600 |
| Reggie Jordan | SG | 29 | 10 | 0 | 31 | 23.2 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 11.6 | 9.3 | .800 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.1 | 4.6 | .571 |
Playoff Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | G | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Heal | PG | 26 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 72.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 1.000 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Stephon Marbury | PG | 19 | 3 | 3 | 117 | 19.7 | 3.7 | 7.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 20.0 | 8.0 | .400 | 6.2 | 1.8 | .300 | 3.1 | 1.8 | .600 |
| Tom Gugliotta | PF | 27 | 3 | 3 | 121 | 16.4 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 15.5 | 6.8 | .442 | 1.2 | 0.9 | .750 | 3.0 | 1.8 | .600 |
| James Robinson | PG | 26 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 16.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 13.9 | 5.8 | .417 | 11.6 | 4.6 | .400 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Kevin Garnett | SF | 20 | 3 | 3 | 125 | 15.0 | 8.1 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 14.7 | 6.9 | .471 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.000 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.000 |
| Doug West | SG | 29 | 3 | 3 | 87 | 13.7 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 9.1 | 5.0 | .545 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 1.000 |
| Cherokee Parks | PF | 24 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 13.1 | 16.4 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 6.5 | .667 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 33 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 13.0 | 5.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 10.0 | 4.6 | .462 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.1 | 3.8 | .625 | |
| Terry Porter | PG | 33 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 12.5 | 2.3 | 7.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 10.2 | 3.9 | .385 | 7.0 | 2.3 | .333 | 3.1 | 2.3 | .750 |
| Dean Garrett | C | 30 | 3 | 3 | 118 | 11.6 | 10.7 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 8.8 | 4.6 | .517 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 2.4 | .800 | |
| Chris Carr | SG | 22 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 9.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 9.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Stojko Vranković | C | 33 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Gugliotta | PF | 27 | 81 | 81 | 3131 | 1672 | 702 | 335 | 130 | 89 | 293 | 1339 | 592 | .442 | 93 | 24 | .258 | 566 | 464 | .820 |
| Kevin Garnett | SF | 20 | 77 | 77 | 2995 | 1309 | 618 | 236 | 105 | 163 | 175 | 1100 | 549 | .499 | 21 | 6 | .286 | 272 | 205 | .754 |
| Stephon Marbury | PG | 19 | 67 | 64 | 2324 | 1057 | 184 | 522 | 67 | 19 | 210 | 871 | 355 | .408 | 288 | 102 | .354 | 337 | 245 | .727 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 33 | 82 | 5 | 2044 | 766 | 326 | 79 | 51 | 20 | 93 | 603 | 269 | .446 | 25 | 4 | .160 | 295 | 224 | .759 |
| James Robinson | PG | 26 | 69 | 5 | 1309 | 572 | 112 | 126 | 30 | 8 | 69 | 482 | 196 | .407 | 267 | 102 | .382 | 114 | 78 | .684 |
| Terry Porter | PG | 33 | 82 | 20 | 1568 | 568 | 176 | 295 | 54 | 11 | 128 | 449 | 187 | .416 | 200 | 67 | .335 | 166 | 127 | .765 |
| Dean Garrett | C | 30 | 68 | 47 | 1665 | 542 | 495 | 38 | 40 | 95 | 34 | 389 | 223 | .573 | 0 | 0 | 138 | 96 | .696 | |
| Doug West | SG | 29 | 68 | 66 | 1920 | 531 | 148 | 113 | 61 | 24 | 66 | 484 | 226 | .467 | 45 | 15 | .333 | 94 | 64 | .681 |
| Chris Carr | SG | 22 | 55 | 10 | 830 | 337 | 113 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 37 | 271 | 125 | .461 | 88 | 31 | .352 | 73 | 56 | .767 |
| Cherokee Parks | PF | 24 | 76 | 0 | 961 | 252 | 195 | 34 | 41 | 48 | 32 | 202 | 103 | .510 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 76 | 46 | .605 |
| Stojko Vranković | C | 33 | 53 | 35 | 766 | 181 | 168 | 14 | 10 | 67 | 52 | 139 | 78 | .561 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 25 | .676 | |
| Shane Heal | PG | 26 | 43 | 0 | 236 | 75 | 18 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 97 | 26 | .268 | 65 | 20 | .308 | 5 | 3 | .600 |
| Reggie Jordan | SG | 29 | 10 | 0 | 31 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 8 | .800 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | .571 | |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19780 | 7882 | 3259 | 1874 | 618 | 557 | 1208 | 6436 | 2937 | .456 | 1093 | 371 | .339 | 2180 | 1637 | .751 |
Playoff Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephon Marbury | PG | 19 | 3 | 3 | 117 | 64 | 12 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 65 | 26 | .400 | 20 | 6 | .300 | 10 | 6 | .600 |
| Tom Gugliotta | PF | 27 | 3 | 3 | 121 | 55 | 16 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 52 | 23 | .442 | 4 | 3 | .750 | 10 | 6 | .600 |
| Kevin Garnett | SF | 20 | 3 | 3 | 125 | 52 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 51 | 24 | .471 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 |
| Dean Garrett | C | 30 | 3 | 3 | 118 | 38 | 35 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 15 | .517 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | .800 | |
| Doug West | SG | 29 | 3 | 3 | 87 | 33 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 12 | .545 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 9 | 9 | 1.000 |
| Sam Mitchell | SF | 33 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | .462 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | .625 | |
| Terry Porter | PG | 33 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 5 | .385 | 9 | 3 | .333 | 4 | 3 | .750 |
| James Robinson | PG | 26 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 | .417 | 10 | 4 | .400 | 0 | 0 | |
| Shane Heal | PG | 26 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Cherokee Parks | PF | 24 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Chris Carr | SG | 22 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Stojko Vranković | C | 33 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Team Totals | 3 | 3 | 720 | 299 | 116 | 72 | 23 | 12 | 26 | 266 | 120 | .451 | 50 | 19 | .380 | 54 | 40 | .741 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Gugliotta | Offensive Focal Point (1.1) | 38.7 | High | 20.6 | 8.7 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 95.30 | Gugliotta operated as Minnesota’s most polished offensive forward, combining a reliable face-up and mid-range game with enough passing ability to keep the offense moving. Contemporary coverage noted how aggressively he attacked Washington for 25 points and 12 rebounds, while later retrospective reporting identified his pick-and-pop game and excellent mid-range shooting as defining parts of his value. (The Washington Post) | NBA All-Star (1997); MVP voting — 17th (1997) |
| Kevin Garnett | Two-Way Interior Creator (1.1) | 38.9 | High | 17.0 | 8.0 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 83.42 | Garnett’s role was already much broader than a conventional young power forward: he defended across the frontcourt, protected the rim and created offense from the elbow and mid-post. His defensive responsibility was apparent in contemporary coverage of his battles with Chris Webber, while Minnesota’s later retrospective described him as one of the central pieces around which the franchise’s first playoff team was built. | NBA All-Star (1997); Most Improved Player voting — 8th (1997) |
| Stephon Marbury | Lead Shot-Creating Point Guard (1.05) | 34.7 | High | 15.8 | 2.7 | 7.8 | 1.3 | 69.55 | Marbury immediately handled a genuine lead-guard workload rather than being eased into the offense. His speed and willingness to create off the dribble gave Minnesota a different gear, and contemporary reporting repeatedly framed him as an important young piece alongside Garnett and Gugliotta; he also showed the confidence to shoot through defensive pressure after returning from an ankle injury. | Rookie of the Year voting — 2nd (1997); Rookie Challenge selection (1997) |
| Dean Garrett | Starting Interior Presence (1.05) | 24.5 | Medium | 8.0 | 7.3 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 41.35 | Garrett supplied the physical interior work that allowed Minnesota’s more offensively gifted forwards to operate freely. His 47 starts and steady minutes reflected a trusted frontcourt role, while retrospective coverage places him among the veteran pieces surrounding Garnett, Marbury and Gugliotta during the franchise’s first playoff season. (Star Tribune) | — |
| Sam Mitchell | Veteran Frontcourt Stabilizer (1.0) | 24.9 | Medium | 9.3 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 33.22 | Mitchell was less about creating offense than providing experience, physicality and guidance around Minnesota’s young core. Retrospective Timberwolves coverage specifically identifies him as one of the veterans surrounding Garnett and Marbury, while contemporary-era commentary has described his Minnesota role as a mentor who helped Garnett adjust to the NBA. | — |
| Doug West | Veteran Wing Stabilizer (1.05) | 28.2 | Medium | 7.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 30.03 | West’s value came from being a dependable veteran presence rather than carrying a large offensive load. He remained deeply embedded in the rotation after years with the franchise, and when Minnesota finally clinched its first playoff berth, Garnett and Marbury celebrated with West as a symbolic link to the team’s expansion-era years. | — |
| Terry Porter | Backup Floor General (1.0) | 19.1 | Medium | 6.9 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 29.48 | Porter functioned as the experienced second-unit organizer, giving Minnesota another steady ball-handler and late-clock decision maker behind its younger lead guard. His presence was part of the veteran infrastructure around Garnett, Marbury and Gugliotta that helped turn a 26-win club into Minnesota’s first playoff team. | — |
| James Robinson | Reserve Perimeter Gunner (1.0) | 19.0 | Medium | 8.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 26.84 | Robinson’s role was built around perimeter creation and shot-making rather than heavy starting responsibility. Later Minnesota discussion remembers him as one of the team’s notable bench shooters, with his willingness to fire from three giving the second unit a useful change of pace even though Flip Saunders kept him to only five starts. (Reddit) | — |
| Chris Carr | Instant-Offense Wing Reserve (1.0) | 15.1 | Low | 6.1 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 19.40 | Carr provided an athletic scoring option in limited minutes and was used more as a burst of perimeter offense than as a foundational rotation piece. His season also carried a visible All-Star Weekend component: he reached the finals of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, finishing behind Kobe Bryant. (NBA) | Slam Dunk Contest runner-up (1997) |
| Stojko Vranković | Rim-Protecting Centerpiece (1.0) | 14.5 | Low | 3.4 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 16.80 | Vranković’s minutes were concentrated in a specialist interior role, where his length and shot-blocking were more important than offensive creation. The 35 starts show that Minnesota was willing to use him as a starting defensive center in specific lineups, but his limited offensive responsibility kept him firmly in a low-usage lane. | — |
| Cherokee Parks | Frontcourt Depth Piece (1.0) | 12.6 | Low | 3.3 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 14.80 | Parks was essentially a reserve big used to absorb frontcourt minutes behind Minnesota’s established interior players. Retrospective discussion of the roster notes that, despite expectations around the young Duke product, Saunders gave him no starts, underscoring how much of his season was spent as depth rather than as a featured developmental piece. | — |
| Shane Heal | Deep-Rotation Shooting Specialist (1.0) | 5.5 | Low | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 6.20 | Heal arrived with a reputation as a fearless long-range shooter after starring for Australia, but Minnesota used him sparingly while he adjusted to the NBA. His brief role occasionally produced eye-catching shooting bursts, including a five-three fourth quarter against Seattle, illustrating the specialist scoring threat he could provide despite limited rotation trust. (EntertainOz) | — |
| Reggie Jordan | Emergency Backcourt Reserve (1.0) | 3.1 | Low | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 5.40 | Jordan was essentially an end-of-rotation backcourt option, appearing in only a handful of games and receiving little sustained responsibility. With Minnesota’s primary guard rotation established around Marbury and its veteran ball-handlers, his opportunities were largely situational rather than part of the team’s regular offensive structure. (Star Tribune) | |
| Team Totals | Minnesota Timberwolves | 241.2 | — | 96.1 | 39.7 | 22.9 | 14.3 | 460.47 | The rotation was built around three distinct offensive pillars — Gugliotta’s scoring, Garnett’s two-way versatility and Marbury’s creation — with veterans such as West, Mitchell, Porter and Garrett supplying structure around them. That combination produced Minnesota’s first playoff berth, a major turning point for the franchise. (Star Tribune) | First NBA playoff berth (1997) |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephon Marbury | Lead Shot-Creating Point Guard (1.1) | 39.0 | High (1.2) | 21.3 | 4.0 | 7.7 | 0.7 | 88.97 | Lead guard responsibility fell heavily on Marbury in Minnesota’s first playoff appearance, and he responded by attacking Houston’s defense off the dribble rather than playing conservatively. He scored 28 in Game 1 and remained the Wolves’ primary creator throughout the three-game sweep, although Houston’s physical defense exposed the difficult balance between his aggressive shot-making and playmaking duties. (Basketball Reference) | — |
| Kevin Garnett | Two-Way Frontcourt Creator (1.1) | 41.7 | High (1.2) | 17.3 | 9.3 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 86.06 | Two-way versatility defined Garnett’s playoff role: he was asked to defend inside, clean the glass and create from the frontcourt while playing more than 41 minutes a night. Against Houston, his passing was a real part of Minnesota’s offense, while his length gave the Wolves a defensive presence they could not easily replace. The series also marked the first postseason test for a 20-year-old who had quickly become central to the franchise’s identity. (Star Tribune) | — |
| Tom Gugliotta | Primary Half-Court Scoring Forward (1.1) | 40.3 | High (1.2) | 18.3 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 81.58 | Primary half-court scoring duties remained with Gugliotta, who was also trusted to initiate offense from the forward spot. His passing gave Minnesota another outlet when Houston crowded Marbury, and his 27-point effort in the finale showed why the Wolves could not simply rely on their rookie point guard for offense. Gugliotta’s ability to score from different spots made him the veteran offensive counterweight to Minnesota’s younger stars. | — |
| Dean Garrett | Starting Rebounding Anchor (1.05) | 39.3 | Medium (1.1) | 12.7 | 11.7 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 63.29 | Starting at center throughout the series, Garrett became Minnesota’s interior workhorse against Houston’s bigger frontcourt. His offensive role was straightforward, but his rebounding and interior presence mattered more as the series tightened; he finished Game 3 with 15 rebounds and 26 points, one of the few instances where Minnesota’s frontcourt pressure genuinely disrupted Houston. | — |
| Doug West | Starting Veteran Wing (1.05) | 29.0 | Medium (1.1) | 11.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 35.34 | Starting on the wing, West supplied the veteran balance around Minnesota’s younger creators and was trusted for nearly 30 minutes per game. His role was deliberately low-maintenance offensively: attack openings, move the ball and defend without demanding possessions. His place alongside Garnett and Marbury also reflected his importance as the longest-tenured member of a franchise finally reaching its first postseason. | — |
| Sam Mitchell | Veteran Defensive Wing Reserve (1.0) | 15.7 | Low (1.0) | 5.7 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 17.80 | Mitchell was used as a physical veteran reserve rather than another offensive option, entering when Minnesota needed experience and defensive toughness. His place in the playoff rotation fit the larger roster construction described in retrospective coverage: Garnett and Marbury supplied the youth and creation while Mitchell, West and Porter provided veteran stability around them. | — |
| James Robinson | Reserve Three-Point Outlet (1.0) | 15.5 | Low (1.0) | 7.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 22.00 | Reserve shooting was Robinson’s clearest playoff function, and his perimeter willingness gave Minnesota a different look when its primary creators were being pressured. He appeared in only two games, but his four three-pointers on ten attempts in those appearances show how narrowly defined his offensive value was: spacing the floor and taking available shots rather than running the offense. | — |
| Terry Porter | Veteran Second-Unit Organizer (1.0) | 15.3 | Low (1.0) | 5.3 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 21.40 | Porter served as the second-unit organizer, giving Minnesota another experienced ball-handler whenever Marbury left the floor. His passing was more important than his scoring in the series, and his veteran presence was part of the supporting structure around the team’s young core. Minnesota’s retrospective account specifically lists Porter among the veterans surrounding Garnett, Marbury and Gugliotta during the franchise’s breakthrough season. | — |
| Cherokee Parks | Emergency Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 11.0 | Low (1.0) | 4.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 20.00 | Parks had a very narrow playoff role, appearing in only one game when Minnesota needed additional frontcourt size. His five rebounds in 11 minutes show the immediate value of his length and activity, but the lack of a sustained rotation role indicates that Saunders preferred the established Garnett-Garrett frontcourt for the Houston matchup. | — |
| Shane Heal | Deep-Rotation Perimeter Shooter (1.0) | 1.5 | Low (1.0) | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 7.00 | Heal was reduced to a specialist cameo, playing only three minutes across two playoff appearances. That fits the broader picture of a rookie guard whose attraction was his willingness to shoot from deep rather than his ability to handle a major postseason workload; Minnesota ultimately had little reason to move away from its established veteran guard rotation. | — |
| Chris Carr | Athletic Wing Reserve (1.0) | 8.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 6.00 | Carr’s playoff opportunity was extremely limited, with Minnesota turning to him for only eight minutes in the series. His role was essentially situational wing depth rather than a defined offensive assignment, and the coaching staff did not return to him after that appearance as the Rockets series became increasingly dependent on the established rotation. | — |
| Stojko Vranković | Emergency Rim-Protection Reserve (1.0) | 6.0 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.00 | Vranković was used only briefly as emergency interior depth, logging six minutes in the series. His value was tied almost entirely to size and rim protection rather than offensive creation, but Minnesota ultimately leaned on Garrett’s rebounding presence and Garnett’s versatility for the bulk of its frontcourt defense. | — |
| Team Totals | Minnesota Timberwolves | 240.0 | — | 99.7 | 38.7 | 24.0 | 11.7 | 451.44 | Minnesota’s first playoff rotation was built around three young-or-prime offensive pillars in Marbury, Garnett and Gugliotta, with Garrett providing the interior muscle and a veteran group led by West, Mitchell and Porter filling out the structure. Houston’s sweep exposed the gap between reaching the postseason and being ready to win a playoff series, but the run established the core that had carried the franchise to its first playoff berth. | First NBA Playoff Appearance (1997) |