|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves rely heavily on their jump shooting. Friday night was a perfect example.
Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Minnesota made 20 of its final 30 shots to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 95-89.
"You are what you are," said coach Flip Saunders. "You're going to live, you're going to die by it. But you have to play to your strengths.
"You have two choices. You can either be a team that moves the
basketball around and gets jump shots, or you can be a team that
isolates down underneath. We don't have the presence underneath. So
the difference to us is a matter of getting open jump shots to live
and die by."
The Timberwolves, who are 16-1 when outshooting their opponent,
showed off their strength in the third quarter.
Anthony Peeler scored 12 of his 14 points during a 23-7 run that put Minnesota up 70-65. The Wolves were 10-for-10 from the floor during that stretch after going 9-for-30 over the second quarter
and the first half of the third.
"Peeler changed the whole game," said Clippers coach Alvin
Gentry. "He made some big shots. They all made some tough shots."
Garnett said an 11-point deficit to the Clippers wasn't reason to panic.
"The philosophy on this being a team you should beat is out the window," he said. "They're not a shabby team. It was not pushing the panic button, but the urgency button. It was like, yo, we gotta pick it up."
Chauncey Billups, who finished with 13 points, helped stave off
a Clippers comeback in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles led 75-73
with 8:52 left before Billups hit his first of three 3-pointers in
the final period to put Minnesota ahead for good. The Clippers
pulled within two with 2:41 left, but Billups hit another 3-pointer
to make it 87-82. Los Angeles never threatened again.
"Billups' (first) shot was probably the biggest of the game,"
Gentry said. "When you have a team with that many good shooters,
you know eventually they'll start going in."
Terrell Brandon had 17 points, and Wally Szczerbiak added 16 for
Minnesota.
Lamar Odom led the Clippers with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
The Clippers, who entered the game with a league-leading
averaging of 17 turnovers per game, took care of the ball but were
unable to stifle the Wolves' hot shooting when they needed to.
"They basically hit every shot," Odom said. "We're starting
to learn how to stay in games. This is the education part."
Michael Olowokandi was effective underneath, scoring 14 points
on 7-for-12 shooting. Darius Miles chipped in 10 points and eight
rebounds for the Clippers.
Game notes
Szczerbiak said he won't play in the Schick Rookie
Challenge game, held the day before the All-Star game in Washington
between the league's top first- and second-year players. That's
fine with coach Flip Saunders. "He understands what's important.
He needs some rest and rejuvenation for the second half," Saunders
said. Szczerbiak had knee surgery in the offseason. ... The
Clippers' Lamar Odom will play on the sophomore team against
teammates Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson, who will be with the
rookies. ... Los Angeles has nine players averaging between six and
nine points per game.
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Clippers Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 86
Washington 82
Toronto 93
Boston 72
San Antonio 111
Detroit 90
Minnesota 95
LA Clippers 89
Charlotte 86
Chicago 85
Denver 106
Sacramento 93
Seattle 115
Vancouver 102
LA Lakers 101
Cleveland 98
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kevin Garnett Official Site
|
