RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Derek Anderson found his groove in just his
second game with the San Antonio Spurs.
Anderson, who played with the Los Angeles Clippers last season
and signed as a free agent in the offseason, scored 29 points to
lead San Antonio to a 103-91 victory over the Minnesota
Timberwolves Thursday night.
|  | | Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the T-Wolves Thursday night. |
Anderson scored 15 points in the third quarter and hit all nine
of his free throws in the game.
"He was so big tonight," said Kevin Garnett, who had 21 points
and 11 rebounds for Minnesota. "He gave them such a big lift. He
is sort of like the X-factor on this team. He brings a slashing
flare to this team that they haven't always had."
Down 55-45 at the half, Anderson sparked an 11-4 rally with a
3-pointer, followed by a pair of jumpers. After sinking a free
throw and two more jumpers, he tied the game with 39 seconds left
in the third period with three consecutive free throws.
"He was just being more aggressive and shooting the ball,"
said Terrell Brandon, who had 19 points for Minnesota. "The first
half, he was just letting the game come to him.
"Just like all of us, when we get into a rhythm, one goes in,
two goes in. All of the sudden, the basket looks like an ocean. I
think that's what happened to him."
Anderson's explanation?
"I got the ball when I was hot," he said. "Avery (Johnson)
and Antonio (Daniels) really know how to distribute the ball. I was
really able to get my shots."
San Antonio used a 16-5 burst, punctuated by Anderson's
3-pointer to seal the win.
"He had it rolling," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We
knew he could catch and shoot, but what we didn't know is he's
willing to pass the ball and hit the open man."
Tim Duncan had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, while
Johnson added 14 points, and Daniels had 11 points.
"We didn't have a lot of energy when we came out in the
first," Duncan said. "We refocused at halftime and had good
energy in the second. Derek shot well for us and Malik (Rose) was
great on boards and on defense."
Rose had eight points and 11 rebounds. David Robinson, who sat
out the fourth quarter, had four points and seven rebounds.
The Timberwolves were playing their second game without
6-foot-10 forward Joe Smith after the NBA voided his contract last
week for signing a secret salary agreement. He is now a free agent.
Chauncey Billups had 12 points and Wally Szczerbiak added 11 for
Minnesota.
The game was delayed 10 minutes at halftime because of a leak in
the Alamodome roof. Maintenance workers were unable to stop the
leak during the game because of a storm with strong winds.
Game
notes
After a hearing in New York Thursday, an NBA arbitrator is
expected to decide in the next few days whether commissioner David
Stern had the authority to void Smith's previous two contracts. If
Smith wins his appeal, he would regain his Larry Bird rights and be
able to sign a lucrative long-term contract with Minnesota next
summer. ... Anderson's 29 points was the most by a Spurs guard
since Jaren Jackson scored 31 points on April 10, 1998. ...
Robinson, who played 24 minutes, said he decided to stay on the
bench in the fourth because of a sore back. "It's a minor thing,"
he said. "It happens in practice sometimes. ... I could have
played but Pop (Popovich) didn't like the way I was moving. I
didn't like the way I was moving." ... Brandon scored 12 of his 19
in the first quarter.
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NBA Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
San Antonio Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 94
Atlanta 69
Dallas 94
Indiana 88
San Antonio 103
Minnesota 91
Houston 115
Milwaukee 93
Denver 101
Golden State 97
Phoenix 108
Portland 82
Vancouver 99
LA Clippers 91
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