RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Kevin Garnett took off from the free-throw line, caught the rebound with one hand and threw down a windmill dunk.
|  | | Sidney Sealy, second from left, father of Malik Sealy, gets a hug from T-Wolves VP Kevin McHale prior to Saturday's game. The Wolves retired the No. 7 jersey belonging to Sealy, who was killed in a May 20 auto accident. |
Then he flashed two fingers and pointed to the sky in a tribute to his late teammate Malik Sealy, who wore No. 2.
The Timberwolves beat the Sacramento Kings 99-91 on Saturday night in their home opener, which was preceded by a 15-minute tribute to Sealy. Garnett's dunk might have been the most fitting of the tributes to Sealy, who was killed in an automobile accident
last May.
"When I got ahold of my emotions," Garnett said, "it was only
right to throw up the two (fingers)."
Sealy's family attended the emotional tribute.
"The first minute, my eyes were still feeling the tears," Terrell Brandon said. "My eyes were still teary."
Other tributes to Sealy included a recorded rap song that was
written and performed by former teammate Joe Smith, whose contract
with the Wolves was voided because he signed an illegal secret
agreement with the organization. Sealy's jersey, the first in
Wolves history to be retired, was hung from the rafters.
Wolves coach Flip Saunders said Garnett's dunk was the best he
had ever seen.
"It's only fitting that he did it right under Malik's jersey,"
Saunders said. "He probably touched it, as high as he was."
Brandon said he told official Jess Kersey that he should have
stopped the game, because fans wanted to watch the dunk again on
replays. Saunders wondered whether the basket was technically a
dunk at all, since Garnett released the ball before his fingers hit
the rim.
Garnett, who scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, is averaging 29 points and 13.4 rebounds in his past five games against the Kings, dating back to last season's opener in Tokyo.
The Timberwolves led 63-44 at halftime but were outscored again
in the second half. The Kings twice pulled within seven points in
the second half.
The Wolves also led Houston 65-44 at halftime of the season
opener but allowed the Rockets to within six points before winning
106-98. The Wolves led San Antonio 55-45 but lost 103-93.
Against the Kings, Saunders said he thought the Wolves moved the
ball despite being outscored 47-36 in the second half.
"If you can have a pattern and win 66 percent of your games
doing it," Saunders said, "we'll take that."
The Kings, led by Predrag Stojakovic's 22 points, played their
fourth game in five nights on the road and without point guard
Jason Williams, who is serving a five-game suspension. Vlade Divac
added 20 points.
"Their energy won the game," Divac said. "The last four or
five minutes of the first half killed us. We went to the big hole
and fought back, but the hole was too big."
Game notes
The Timberwolves have beaten the Kings 15 times in their
12-year history, more than any other team. ... Wally Szczerbiak is
playing himself back into shape, Saunders said. Szczerbiak, who
missed all but one exhibition game while recovering from knee
surgery, scored 16 points against the Kings. He scored a total of
11 points in his first two games. ... The Kings' Bobby Jackson,
formerly of both the Wolves and the Minnesota Gophers, received a
warm ovation from fans.
|
|
NBA Scoreboard
Sacramento Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
LA Lakers 98
Vancouver 89
Indiana 94
Chicago 81
Toronto 103
Washington 96
Orlando 107
Atlanta 104
Cleveland 91
Boston 89
Philadelphia 84
Miami 82
Utah 112
Dallas 106
Minnesota 99
Sacramento 91
Charlotte 98
New Jersey 87
Milwaukee 97
Detroit 88
Phoenix 102
Denver 99
Portland 97
Seattle 90
San Antonio 117
Golden State 105
LA Clippers 77
Houston 74
|
