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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz lost to Kevin
Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
|  | | Kevin Garnett outscored the Mailman 29-19, but insisted there was no changing of the guard. |
But Jazz coach Jerry Sloan suggested after the 89-84 defeat at
Target Center that he might have lost more than a game -- his team.
Although Sloan was ejected late in the third quarter for arguing
foul calls with official Luis Grillo, he seemed more upset with his
team's play than with any whistles.
"We didn't have any idea how to defend the pick-and-roll,"
Sloan fumed. "Either I've lost this team or we've got guys who
don't care. Maybe they're trying to tell me they don't want to play
for me anymore."
The Jazz scored just 12 first-quarter points and Sloan said, "I
didn't ever think we'd score 30."
"We looked like an expansion team that has never been around each other before," Sloan added.
"I did a terrible job of getting them ready to play. When you can't get your team ready to defend the pick-and-roll, that's my responsibility. If we can't do that, then somebody else has to do it."
Malone called Utah's defense dismal.
"Every guy, first of all, before you get help, me included,
needs to take that responsibility," Malone said. "You have to be
able to play your guy. And I didn't do that. And we as a team
didn't do that."
Malone missed 10-of-16 shots and was flustered in his first-ever
matchup with Garnett, who used to play small forward until the
Wolves drafted Wally Szczerbiak this summer.
But Garnett refused to acknowledge he got the better of the 36-year-old power forward and finds it laughable that some across the league say Malone is showing signs of age.
"Let me tell you something, Karl Malone's just like fine wine. He's aging and maturing at the same time and getting better and
better," Garnett said after scoring 29 points.
"When the man's been in the league about 15 years, you can't
ever say he's getting old, because of knowledge," Garnett said.
"Knowledge is power. He'll always use that against you and you've
got to go out and know he can take this game over at any time. It's
like a fact almost."
The teams play again Monday night at the Delta Center and the
last thing Garnett wanted to do was relish in his Round 1
supremacy.
"Just one of those nights when his shot wasn't falling and I
was trying to play D. Karl Malone has 29,000-plus points and you know, me just trying to put a little more added pressure on doesn't
change anything," Garnett said. "He had an off night. I've got to
see the same guy in about four or five days and I'm sure he'll be
ready."
Sam Mitchell scored five points, tying Doug West's franchise
record of 6,216 career points for the Wolves.
"He'd better enjoy that," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said, "because he's not going to have it very long with Kevin Garnett around."
Mitchell's accomplishment was lost in the close game, but Garnett said it was a special night nonetheless.
"He's been nothing but a mentor to me. I always thank him and Terry Porter for sort of raising me right in the league. That's a great accomplishment for him," Garnett said. "Someday I'll catch
it and try to break it. But right now he can have it."
Garnett scored 12 of his points in the final quarter, holding
off a Jazz charge that threatened to hand the Wolves their second
straight collapse from an 11-point fourth-quarter lead.
Garnett took over after the Jazz had pulled to 73-70, scoring
the next eight points for the Wolves. He drew a foul from Malone
and sank both shots, then he stole the ball at the other end and
hit a fadeaway over Malone for a 77-70 lead.
Garnett then drew an offensive foul on Malone and hit a fadeaway
over John Stockton for a 79-70 lead with less than four minutes
left.
Stockton and Malone each scored 19 points for Utah.
Game notes
Neither team had a 3-pointer until Bryon Russell sank one
with 5:11 left in the third quarter. ... The Jazz shot just 28
percent in the first half but trailed only 34-29 at halftime. ...
X-rays were negative on Wolves forward Tom Hammonds' left foot.
He's played just six minutes total in two games.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 109
New Jersey 96
Atlanta 105
Indiana 99
Toronto 106
LA Clippers 100
Charlotte 103
Orlando 92
Detroit 101
Cleveland 90
Minnesota 89
Utah 84
Portland 97
Philadelphia 91
Sacramento 103
Dallas 94
Phoenix 96
New York 81
LA Lakers 103
Chicago 95
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