Timberwolves Set to Tip Off Their 24th Season on Nov. 2 vs. the Sacramento Kings at Target Center
Full-Season Memberships Still Available for as Low as $7 Per Game;
82-Game Schedule Highlighted by 14 National Television Appearances
Minneapolis/St. Paul The Minnesota Timberwolves will tip off their 24th regular season in the NBA by hosting the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2 at Target Center. Full-season memberships are still available by visiting www.timberwolves.com or by calling 612-673-1234.
The Timberwolves will open the 2012-13 season with five of their first six games against Eastern Conference opponents, including home visits from Orlando (Nov. 7) and Indiana (Nov. 9). The Wolves will enjoy two long homestands, including a six-game stint from Jan. 30 through Feb. 8 highlighted by visits from Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers (Jan. 30), Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers (Feb. 1) and No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Hornets (Feb. 2). The Wolves will also host a four-game homestand (beginning a stretch where they will play seven of eight games at Target Center) from March 27 - April 1. Other notable home games include Dec. 20 and March 29 vs. Oklahoma City, a visit from LeBron James and the defending NBA champion Miami Heat (March 4) and a trip to Target Center by Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics on April 1.
The Wolves will play 14 nationally-televised games this season, most since the 2005-06 campaign, including seven home contests: Dec. 20 vs. Oklahoma City on TNT, Jan. 17 vs. Los Angeles Clippers on TNT, Feb. 1 vs. Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN, Feb. 2 vs. New Orleans on NBA TV, Feb. 6 vs. San Antonio on ESPN, March 4 vs. Miami on NBA TV and March 10 vs. Dallas on NBA TV.
On the heels of a season highlighted by significant attendance growth, including 11 capacity crowds (most since 2003-04 season) and an average attendance of 17,491 (highest number since 2003-04), the Wolves head into the 2012-13 campaign with 8,100 full-season ticket members - their largest number since the 2004-05 season. More than 95 percent of the Wolves' season ticket members have renewed their season memberships for the 2012-13 season and 1,200 new members have joined the pack since the conclusion of the 2011-12 campaign.
Minnesotas 2012-13 local television broadcast schedule will be released at a later date. Following are key facts regarding the Wolves' 2012-13 regular-season schedule.
Key Facts About the Timberwolves 2012-13 Schedule
By month, the schedule breaks down as follows: November (7 home, 8 away = 15 total, December (6 home, 6 away = 12 total), January (6 home, 9 away = 15 total), February (8 home, 5 away = 13 total), March (9 home, 8 away = 17 total), April (5 home, 5 away = 10 total).
By day, the schedule breaks down as follows: Monday (4 home, 7 away = 11 total), Tuesday (2 home, 6 away = 8 total), Wednesday (12 home, 8 away = 20 total), Thursday (2 home, 3 away = 5 total), Friday (9 home, 8 away = 17 total), Saturday (8 home, 5 away = 13 total), Sunday (4 home, 4 away = 8 total).
The Wolves enjoy one six-game homestand (Jan. 30-Feb. 8), one four-game homestand (March 27-April 1) and one three-game homestand (Nov. 14-21).
Minnesota has two four-game roadtrips: Nov 23-28 (POR, GS, SAC, LAC) and Jan. 9-14 (OKC, NO, SA, DAL). The Wolves will have three separate three-game stints on the road, all coming in the second half of the season: Feb. 26-March 2 (PHO, LAL, POR), March 19-22 (MEM, SAC, PHO) and April 9-12 (GS, LAC, UTAH).
Minnesota will play on national television 14 times this season, most since the 2005-06 campaign: Eight times on NBA TV (11/4 at TOR, 11/5 at Brooklyn, 11/28 at LAC, Feb. 2 vs. NO, March 2 at POR, March 4 vs. MIA, March 10 vs. DAL, March 15 at HOU), and three times each on TNT (Dec. 20 vs. OKC, Jan. 17 vs. LAC, 2/28 vs. LAL) and ESPN (2/1 vs. LAL, 2/6 vs. SA, 2/22 at OKC). The last time the Wolves played on TNT was March 16, 2006 at Golden State (last home game on TNT was Nov. 17, 2005 vs. Washington). The three TNT games are the most since the Wolves had six in 2004-05.
The Wolves will play 22 back-to-backs: three home-home, 11 away-away, four home-away and four away-home. The 22 back-to-backs are the most since the team played 25 back-to-back sets during the 1993-94 season. Last year the Wolves had 16 back-to-back sets and two back-to-back-to-back stints.
The Wolves will open their regular-season slate versus Sacramento on Friday, Nov. 2 at Target Center, marking the 12th straight season the club has opened at home. The Wolves are 13-10 in season openers, including 11-4 in season openers at home. Minnesota opened the 2011-12 campaign with a 104-100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center.
The Wolves will play 52 games against Western Conference and 30 games versus Eastern Conference opponents.
Minnesota will play each Western Conference opponent four times (two home, two away), with the exception of Houston (two home, one away), L.A. Lakers (two home, one away), Memphis (one home, two away), and Sacramento (one home, two away). The Wolves will face off against each Eastern Conference team twice (one home, one away).
Timberwolves 2012-13 Opponent Breakdown
Northwest Division
Denver (H: 11/21, 12/12; A: 1/3, 3/9); Oklahoma City (H: 12/20, 3/29; A: 1/9, 2/22); Portland (H: 1/5, 2/4; A: 11/23, 3/2); Utah: (H: 2/13, 4/15; A: 1/2, 4/12).
Pacific Division
Golden State (H: 11/16, 2/24; A: 11/24, 4/9); L.A. Clippers (H: 1/17, 1/30; A: 11/28, 4/10); L.A. Lakers (H: 2/1, 3/27; A: 2/28); Phoenix (H: 12/29, 4/13; A: 2/26, 3/22); Sacramento (H: 11/2; A: 11/27, 3/21).
Southwest Division
Dallas (H: 12/15, 3/10; A: 11/12, 1/14 ); Houston (H: 12/26, 1/19; A: 3/15); Memphis (H: 3/30; A: 2/10, 3/18); New Orleans (H: 2/2, 3/17; A: 12/14, 1/11); San Antonio (H: 2/6, 3/12; A: 1/13, 4/17).
Atlantic Division
Boston (H: 4/1; A: 12/5); Brooklyn (H: 1/23; A: 11/5); New York (H: 2/8; A: 12/23); Philadelphia (H: 2/20; A: 12/4); Toronto (H: 4/5; A: 11/4).
Central Division
Chicago (H: 3/24; A: 11/10); Cleveland (H: 12/7; A: 2/11); Detroit (H: 4/6 A: 3/26); Indiana (H: 11/9; A: 3/13); Milwaukee (H: 11/30; A: 4/3).
Southeast Division
Atlanta (H: 1/8; A: 1/21); Charlotte (H: 11/14; A: 1/26); Miami (H: 3/4; A: 12/18); Orlando (H: 11/7; A: 12/17); Washington (H: 3/6; A: 1/25).
Contact information:
Mike Cristaldi, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-8405, cristaldi@timberwolves.com
Aaron Seehusen, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1602, seehusen@timberwolves.com
Dan Bell, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1603, bell@timberwolves.com
www.timberwolves.com
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