MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Timberwolves celebrated a 132-126 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, in a match where they rested almost all of their regular players in preparation for the playoffs. The event marked a special moment with the presence of franchise legend Kevin Garnett, on the night of gratitude to the fans, at the close of the regular season.
With the Timberwolves already secured in sixth place in the Western Conference and the Pelicans eliminated, the main attraction was Garnett’s first visit to the Target Center in eight years.
The Hall of Fame member and historical leader of the franchise in almost every major statistical category, entered the arena with Timberwolves co-owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, receiving an ovation from the crowd and touching his heart with his hand. After embracing the current star player, Anthony Edwards, Garnett took a seat on the court.
Garnett, who had a falling out with former owner Glen Taylor after ending his career, reached an agreement last year with the team to be an ambassador. His number 21 jersey will be retired at a later date. The Timberwolves (49-33) sat nine of their top 10 players, giving fan favorite Joe Ingles a symbolic start in a performance of 15 points and 10 assists. Rookie forward Joan Beringer scored 24 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks.Garnett was excited to be back, no doubt. And it was a very nice moment when he came out. I think it was good for our guys because they realized how important someone with a legacy is and what that really means.
Chris Finch, Wolves coach
