It's easy to forget now, with Kevin Garnett long-retired from the NBA and enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, but the narrative from the early stage of his career was defined in part by playoff disappointment and a narrative that he disappeared in the biggest moments.
KG's Wolves lost seven consecutive first-round series between 1997 and 2003. They were typically overmatched as a lower seed, but Garnett took the brunt of criticism — some fair, some not.
The arc of his career took a dramatic turn, though, during the 2003-04 season. He delivered an MVP season and joined forces with Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell to lead the Wolves to the No.