Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune reports that you have to agree with coach Flip Saunders that the Timberwolves had a great season, winning a team-record 51 games and finishing fourth in the Western Conference.

They accomplished this fine record despite the fact that Terrell Brandon was lost for the season; Wally Szczerbiak missed a good part of the season; and injuries also set down Joe Smith, Rasho Nesterovic and Rod Strickland.

Saunders could have added the fact that they won with free agents such as Gary Trent, Troy Hudson, Kendall Gill and Strickland. And they won with two players in Loren Woods and Igor Rakocevic who just filled space on the bench.

"At the beginning of the year, a lot of people didn't even think we were going to make the playoffs," Saunders said. "Here we come and win 51 games and basically end up with the fourth-best record in the league."