T'Wolves set Garnett celebration for Celtics clash

The Minnesota Timberwolves will retire franchise icon Kevin Garnett's No. 21 jersey (STREETER LECKA) The Minnesota Timberwolves will retire Kevin Garnett's number 21 jersey on February 28 when they face another of his former NBA sides, the Boston Celtics, the team said Friday. Hall of Famer Garnett will become just the second player in Timberwolves history to have his number retired. Malik Sealy's No. 2 was retired after his death in a road accident in 2000. The Timberwolves said in a statement that the ceremony "will serve as the centerpiece of a season-long celebration honoring Garnett's extraordinary impact on the Timberwolves, the state of Minnesota and an entire generation of basketball fans." Garnett is the Timberwolves' all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks and is the only player to lead an NBA club in all of those five categories. He's the only Minnesota player to earn Most Valuable Player honors, bagging the award in the 2003-04 season. Garnett led the Timberwolves to eight straight playoff appearances between 1997 and 2004. They were eliminated in the first round in the first seven of those appearances before reaching the Western Conference finals in 2004. Friday's announcement also marks a thawing of relations between Garnett and the Timberwolves, which had soured due to a falling out between the player and former owner Glen Taylor. "Bringing Kevin back to the organization as Team Ambassador has allowed us to celebrate his legacy in a new and meaningful way, and retiring No. 21 is the ultimate recognition of everything he has meant to this franchise and our fans," current owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez said in a statement. Garnett played his first 12 seasons in Minnesota before he was traded to the Boston in 2007. He was named defensive player of the year in 2007-08 as he helped the Celtics capture the 2008 NBA title. The Celtics have already retired the jersey No. 5 he wore there. bb/ea