Last Updated on July 17, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake

Here is a timeline highlighting the most significant events and matchups between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves:

1989: Timberwolves Established

  • The Timberwolves began playing in the NBA in 1989 as an expansion team in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves entered the NBA at the same time as the Orlando Magic. The Timberwolves were added to the Western Conference and the Magic were added to the Eastern Conference to keep things balanced in the league.

1990-2000s: Early Years

  • The Lakers and Timberwolves start playing each other in the early 1990s as Western Conference competitors.

1996: Kevin Garnett Drafted

  • When the Timberwolves drafted Kevin Garnett in 1996, they quickly became one of the best teams in the NBA. The Timberwolves finished sixth in the West in the 1997 regular season and seventh in the 1998 regular season standings. The Timberwolves also had Stephon Marbury during the early years of the Kevin Garnett era.

1996-2000: Early Rivalry Intensifies

  • The Timberwolves drafted Kevin Garnett in 1996 and the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Kobe Bryant in 1996. That’s when the Lakers-Timberwolves rivalry began, as each team had one of the hottest young stars in the NBA. The Timberwolves and Lakers would meet in the playoffs and a heated rivalry ensued.

2003-2004: Western Conference Finals

  • The Lakers and Timberwolves met in the 2004 Western Conference Finals for the first time. The Lakers won the best-of-seven series 4–2. By this stage, the Lakers had Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal while the Timberwolves had Kevin Garnett and Latrell Sprewell. Sprewell was past his prime and retired after the following 2004-2005 season. He spent his final two years with the Timberwolves.

2007: Kevin Garnett Traded

  • The Timberwolves were unsuccessful at retooling around Kevin Garnett and chose to trade him in 2007 while he was still in his prime. It was a monumental time for the NBA as it resulted in a Big 3 formed in Boston which gave Garnett another chance at competing against the Lakers, this time as a Celtic. Garnett and the Celtics team including Ray Allen and Paul Pierce beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals in 2008. It was Garnett’s first championship.

2008-2010s: Post-Garnett Era

  • The Timberwolves weren’t competitive in general after Garnett departed and the Lakers-Timberwolves rivalry cooled off.

2020s: Recent Years

  • The two teams continued to compete in the regular season but the two teams haven’t met in the playoffs since 2004.

The timeline outlines the key moments in the Lakers-Timberwolves rivalry, showcasing their historic moments over the years.