The 2008-09 Minnesota Timberwolves season was marked by transition and struggle. The team finished with a 24-58 record, landing them at fourth place in the Northwest Division and well outside playoff contention. This season followed the departure of Kevin Garnett a year prior, leaving the team in a rebuilding phase.
Randy Wittman began the season as head coach, but after a 4-15 start, he was replaced by Kevin McHale, the former GM, in an effort to stabilize the team. Al Jefferson emerged as the standout performer, averaging 23.1 points and 11 rebounds per game until a knee injury in February ended his season prematurely. The team also saw potential in young players like Kevin Love, who was acquired in a draft-day trade and showed promise in his rookie season. Despite some individual highlights, the Timberwolves struggled to find consistent success throughout the season.
- Regular Season Record: 24-58
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats for 2008-09 Season
POINTS
Al Jefferson
23.1
REBOUNDS
Al Jefferson
11.0
ASSISTS
Sebastian Telfair
4.6
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Al Jefferson | 50 | 23.1 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Randy Foye | 70 | 16.3 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 36.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ryan Gomes | 82 | 13.3 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 37.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Love | 81 | 11.1 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 10.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Craig Smith | 74 | 10.1 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Miller | 73 | 9.9 | 6.6 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 37.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sebastian Telfair | 75 | 9.8 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 34.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rashad McCants | 34 | 9.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 31.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rodney Carney | 67 | 7.2 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 35.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Corey Brewer | 15 | 6.2 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 41.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bobby Brown | 21 | 5.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 38.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Shelden Williams | 15 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Ollie | 50 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brian Cardinal | 64 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 32.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jason Collins | 31 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mark Madsen | 19 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Calvin Booth | 1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Minnesota Timberwolves 2008-09 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 2008-09 season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2008 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 98-96 | |
| Nov 01, 2008 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 95-85 | |
| Nov 02, 2008 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder | L 88-85 | |
| Nov 05, 2008 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 129-125 | |
| Nov 07, 2008 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 121-109 | |
| Nov 08, 2008 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 97-93 | |
| Nov 11, 2008 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 113-110 | |
| Nov 15, 2008 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 88-83 | |
| Nov 16, 2008 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 90-84 | |
| Nov 19, 2008 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 102-96 | |
| Nov 21, 2008 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 95-78 | |
| Nov 23, 2008 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 106-80 | |
| Nov 26, 2008 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 110-102 | |
| Nov 28, 2008 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder | W 105-103 | |
| Nov 29, 2008 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 106-97 | |
| Dec 01, 2008 | @ Charlotte Bobcats | L 100-90 | |
| Dec 03, 2008 | @ Orlando Magic | L 100-89 | |
| Dec 05, 2008 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 113-84 | |
| Dec 06, 2008 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 107-84 | |
| Dec 09, 2008 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 99-96 | |
| Dec 10, 2008 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 116-105 | |
| Dec 12, 2008 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 98-86 | |
| Dec 14, 2008 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 98-86 | |
| Dec 15, 2008 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 118-103 | |
| Dec 17, 2008 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 93-70 | |
| Dec 20, 2008 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 109-102 | |
| Dec 23, 2008 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 99-93 | |
| Dec 26, 2008 | @ New York Knicks | W 120-107 | |
| Dec 27, 2008 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 118-94 | |
| Dec 29, 2008 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | W 108-98 | |
| Dec 30, 2008 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 107-100 | |
| Jan 02, 2009 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 115-108 | |
| Jan 03, 2009 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 102-92 | |
| Jan 06, 2009 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | W 94-87 | |
| Jan 07, 2009 | vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | W 129-87 | |
| Jan 10, 2009 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 106-104 | |
| Jan 13, 2009 | vs. Miami Heat | L 99-96 | |
| Jan 16, 2009 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 105-103 | |
| Jan 19, 2009 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 94-86 | |
| Jan 20, 2009 | @ Utah Jazz | L 112-107 | |
| Jan 23, 2009 | vs. New Orleans Hornets | W 116-108 | |
| Jan 25, 2009 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 109-108 | |
| Jan 26, 2009 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 90-83 | |
| Jan 28, 2009 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 98-89 | |
| Jan 30, 2009 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-119 | |
| Feb 01, 2009 | @ Boston Celtics | L 109-101 | |
| Feb 03, 2009 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 116-111 | |
| Feb 04, 2009 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 94-86 | |
| Feb 07, 2009 | @ Houston Rockets | L 107-90 | |
| Feb 08, 2009 | @ New Orleans Hornets | L 101-97 | |
| Feb 10, 2009 | vs. Toronto Raptors | L 110-102 | |
| Feb 17, 2009 | @ Washington Wizards | L 111-103 | |
| Feb 18, 2009 | @ Miami Heat | W 111-104 | |
| Feb 20, 2009 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 112-105 | |
| Feb 22, 2009 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-108 | |
| Feb 24, 2009 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 118-110 | |
| Feb 25, 2009 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 120-103 | |
| Feb 27, 2009 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 102-82 | |
| Mar 01, 2009 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 105-94 | |
| Mar 03, 2009 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 118-94 | |
| Mar 06, 2009 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-90 | |
| Mar 07, 2009 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 95-93 | |
| Mar 09, 2009 | vs. Washington Wizards | L 110-99 | |
| Mar 11, 2009 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | W 104-79 | |
| Mar 13, 2009 | vs. New York Knicks | L 102-94 | |
| Mar 14, 2009 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats | W 108-100 | |
| Mar 17, 2009 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 93-86 | |
| Mar 18, 2009 | @ New Orleans Hornets | L 94-93 | |
| Mar 20, 2009 | @ Houston Rockets | L 107-88 | |
| Mar 22, 2009 | vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | L 97-90 | |
| Mar 23, 2009 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 109-97 | |
| Mar 25, 2009 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 96-88 | |
| Mar 27, 2009 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 107-85 | |
| Mar 29, 2009 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 108-99 | |
| Mar 31, 2009 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 108-88 | |
| Apr 03, 2009 | @ Utah Jazz | W 103-102 | |
| Apr 05, 2009 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 110-87 | |
| Apr 07, 2009 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 87-77 | |
| Apr 08, 2009 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 105-97 | |
| Apr 11, 2009 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 110-97 | |
| Apr 13, 2009 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 96-94 | |
| Apr 15, 2009 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 97-90 |