The 1995-96 Minnesota Timberwolves season was marked by significant developments and a glimpse of future promise. A standout feature was the arrival of rookie Kevin Garnett, who was selected fifth overall in the 1995 NBA Draft. Garnett, coming directly from high school, began his career with solid performances that hinted at his potential to become a franchise cornerstone.
Under head coach Flip Saunders, who took over mid-season after Bill Blair was dismissed, the Timberwolves struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 26-56 record. This was an improvement from the previous season’s 21-61 finish. Despite missing the playoffs, the combination of Garnett and second-year player Isaiah Rider offered hope for the team’s future. The season was pivotal in setting the groundwork for Minnesota’s eventual rise in the late 1990s.
- Regular Season Record: 26-56
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats for 1995-96 Season
POINTS
Isaiah Rider
19.6
REBOUNDS
Tom Gugliotta
8.8
ASSISTS
Spud Webb
5.9
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Isaiah Rider | 75 | 19.6 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 37.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Christian Laettner | 44 | 18.0 | 6.9 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 29.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Gugliotta | 78 | 16.2 | 8.8 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 30.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sam Mitchell | 78 | 10.8 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 5.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Garnett | 80 | 10.4 | 6.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 28.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Terry Porter | 82 | 9.4 | 2.6 | 5.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 31.4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Spud Webb | 26 | 9.4 | 1.5 | 5.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 40.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Andrew Lang | 20 | 8.8 | 6.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 50.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Darrick Martin | 35 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 31.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sean Rooks | 49 | 6.8 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 16.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Doug West | 73 | 6.4 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 7.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Micheal Williams | 9 | 6.1 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 33.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Eric Riley | 25 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mark Davis | 57 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 30.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jerome Allen | 41 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 30.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Marques Bragg | 53 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Smith | 8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Minnesota Timberwolves 1995-96 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1995-96 season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1995 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 95-86 | |
| Nov 05, 1995 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 100-98 | |
| Nov 07, 1995 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 93-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1995 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 108-102 | |
| Nov 11, 1995 | @ Houston Rockets | L 119-97 | |
| Nov 15, 1995 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 105-96 | |
| Nov 17, 1995 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 114-96 | |
| Nov 18, 1995 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 126-102 | |
| Nov 22, 1995 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 106-97 | |
| Nov 24, 1995 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 109-98 | |
| Nov 26, 1995 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 105-102 | |
| Nov 28, 1995 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 121-98 | |
| Dec 01, 1995 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 111-105 | |
| Dec 02, 1995 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 109-105 | |
| Dec 06, 1995 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 108-97 | |
| Dec 08, 1995 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 112-94 | |
| Dec 09, 1995 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 114-108 | |
| Dec 12, 1995 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 85-78 | |
| Dec 15, 1995 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 100-88 | |
| Dec 17, 1995 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 101-99 | |
| Dec 19, 1995 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 100-95 | |
| Dec 20, 1995 | @ Orlando Magic | L 107-100 | |
| Dec 22, 1995 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-113 | |
| Dec 23, 1995 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 111-98 | |
| Dec 27, 1995 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 99-93 | |
| Dec 28, 1995 | @ Utah Jazz | L 99-83 | |
| Dec 30, 1995 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 122-84 | |
| Jan 02, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 105-100 | |
| Jan 04, 1996 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 98-93 | |
| Jan 05, 1996 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 122-119 | |
| Jan 07, 1996 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 113-97 | |
| Jan 09, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 106-104 | |
| Jan 11, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 109-89 | |
| Jan 13, 1996 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 103-94 | |
| Jan 15, 1996 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 103-94 | |
| Jan 17, 1996 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 98-88 | |
| Jan 19, 1996 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 100-92 | |
| Jan 20, 1996 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 103-97 | |
| Jan 24, 1996 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 101-91 | |
| Jan 27, 1996 | @ New York Knicks | L 104-95 | |
| Jan 30, 1996 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 88-86 | |
| Feb 02, 1996 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 101-90 | |
| Feb 03, 1996 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 105-96 | |
| Feb 05, 1996 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 104-92 | |
| Feb 07, 1996 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 103-93 | |
| Feb 13, 1996 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 94-90 | |
| Feb 14, 1996 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 130-93 | |
| Feb 16, 1996 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 103-100 | |
| Feb 18, 1996 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 108-96 | |
| Feb 19, 1996 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 113-83 | |
| Feb 21, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 120-101 | |
| Feb 23, 1996 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 94-93 | |
| Feb 25, 1996 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 92-76 | |
| Feb 27, 1996 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 120-99 | |
| Feb 28, 1996 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 117-93 | |
| Mar 01, 1996 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 105-101 | |
| Mar 03, 1996 | vs. Miami Heat | W 89-87 | |
| Mar 05, 1996 | @ Miami Heat | L 113-72 | |
| Mar 06, 1996 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 103-90 | |
| Mar 08, 1996 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 132-112 | |
| Mar 10, 1996 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 104-96 | |
| Mar 13, 1996 | vs. New York Knicks | L 106-82 | |
| Mar 15, 1996 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 113-87 | |
| Mar 17, 1996 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 90-85 | |
| Mar 19, 1996 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 106-78 | |
| Mar 20, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 110-96 | |
| Mar 22, 1996 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 110-84 | |
| Mar 23, 1996 | @ Houston Rockets | W 108-103 | |
| Mar 27, 1996 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 121-116 | |
| Mar 29, 1996 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 93-91 | |
| Mar 31, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 110-107 | |
| Apr 02, 1996 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 86-78 | |
| Apr 03, 1996 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 105-103 | |
| Apr 05, 1996 | @ Utah Jazz | W 103-99 | |
| Apr 06, 1996 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 111-106 | |
| Apr 08, 1996 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 115-101 | |
| Apr 10, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-90 | |
| Apr 12, 1996 | @ Washington Bullets | L 116-106 | |
| Apr 14, 1996 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 98-91 | |
| Apr 17, 1996 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 109-103 | |
| Apr 19, 1996 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 94-86 | |
| Apr 20, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 106-82 |