NBA 2004

1.  Kevin Garnett: Was the MVP of the league.

He was first team All-NBA and All-Defense.

KG was an All-Star starter for the sixth straight season.

Garnett was NBA player of the month in December, January, February, and April.

He led the league in rebounding (13.9) and FGs (804) while playing all 82 games.

Garnett was 3^rd in the NBA in scoring at 24.2 points per game.

He averaged five assists and over 2 blocks per game while shooting 50% from the field.

He had an amazing 71 double doubles in 82 games.

The Big Ticket led the T’Wolves to the best record in the West with 58 wins.

Behind Garnett, Minnesota advanced past the 1^st round for the first time in franchise history.

In Game 2 vs. Denver he posted a triple double with 20-22-10 and added three blocks.

In the 2^nd round vs. the Kings averaged 24-15 and 3.4 blocks per game.

In Game 3, Garnett had 30-15-5 blocks to led the Wolves past Sacramento by 1 to go up 2-1 in the series.

In Game 7 he carried his team to the conference finals with 32-21-5 blocks in 46 minutes. The Wolves escaped with a 3 point win.

In the West Finals he had 30-19 in Game 5 to force a Game 6.

The Timberwolves would eventually lose to the Lakers in the Western Finals. Minnesota won the Midwest Division in their best season in franchise history.

2. Tim Duncan: Was first team All-NBA and 2^nd in the MVP voting.

He was 2^nd team All-Defense and an All-Star.

Duncan finished 8^th in scoring (22.3), 2^nd in rebounding (12.4) and 4^th in blocks (2.7).

He shot 50% from the field.

Timmy lead the Spurs to the #2 seed in the West with 57 wins. They also led the NBA (tied with Detroit) in scoring defense; yielding just 84 points a game.

In a first round sweep of Memphis, the Big Fundamental put up 24-10 2.5 blocks and 59% shooting.

He opened with 20-11 in a Game One win over LA.

He put up 21-21 and 4 blocks in Game Five vs. the Lakers. Duncan canned what appeared to be the game winning fall away jumper.

The Spurs would  fall dramatically on a shot by Derek Fisher.

Duncan averaged 22-11 in the playoffs as San Antonio lost in the 2^nd round to the Lakers.

He earned a bronze medal with Team USA in the Olympics. He had three double doubles in tournament.

3. Ben Wallace: Helped led the Pistons to an unexpected NBA title.

He was first team All-Defense and 2^nd in the Defensive Player of the Year voting (Ron Artest).

Wallace was also 2^nd team All-NBA and a starter at center for the East All-Stars.

He finished 2^nd in the league in blocks (3.0), 3^rd in rebounding (12.4) and 8^th in steals (1.8).

Big Ben scored 9.5 PPG in playing 81 games.

The Pistons finished second in the East with 54 wins.

In the first round against the Bucks, Wallace averaged 10-13 3 blocks and 2.6 steals in the five game series.

In Game Seven in Round Two vs. New Jersey he went 8-10 from the field (18 points) and grabbed eight boards as Detroit advanced to the East Finals.

B-B-B-B-Ben sparked Detroit’s upset of top seed Indiana in the East Finals. He averaged 8-15-3.2 blocks, as the Pistons won in six games.

Again Detroit pulled off an upset over the Lakers behind the play of Wallace. In the title clinching game he had 18 points, 22 rebounds and 3 steals.

Wallace finished the playoffs averaging 10-14 2.4 blocks and 1.9 steals per game.

The Pistons won their first title since the “Bad Boys” 14 years earlier. They led the NBA allowing just 84 points per game.