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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Antoine Walker was struggling with his shot,
so he put the game in the capable hands of Paul Pierce.
|  | | Boston's Paul Pierce made 15 of 22 shots and scored a season-high 42 points against the T-Wolves. |
Pierce scored a career-high 42 points, and Walker contributed a
triple-double as the Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves
107-102 Monday afternoon.
Pierce scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a layup
with 1:38 remaining that gave Boston (14-24) the lead for good at
100-98. It was the Celtics' first lead of the quarter.
Walker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. His biggest
assist was the lob pass he gave Pierce that resulted in the
tiebreaking basket.
"Walker reads me so well," Pierce said. "He knows where I
like the ball, and he knows how to get it to me. That's something
we've developed playing together."
Pierce's 15-of-22 shooting from the field offset Walker's
6-for-26.
"I wasn't playing with a lot of confidence," Walker said.
"Kevin Garnett was doing a great job of guarding me, so I tried to
get Pierce going. I'm glad a night like that didn't go to waste."
The Celtics led for most of the third quarter, but Minnesota's
Chauncey Billups and LaPhonso Ellis keyed a 27-12 run that bridged
the third and fourth quarters.
The Timberwolves' reserves outscored the Celtics' reserves
46-19, led by Billups' 16 points and Ellis' 15.
But with Minnesota up 92-84 with 5 minutes to play, Pierce went
to work. He initiated a game-clinching 23-10 run with a three-point
play and scored 11 points in the final 5 minutes. His two free
throws with 22.3 seconds left put Boston up 104-99.
"We've been struggling in the fourth quarter, and on the road,
and we took care of both of those things tonight," Pierce said.
The Celtics won just their fourth road game in 15 tries, much to
the chagrin of Minnesota coach Flip Saunders.
"When you're up eight with 5 minutes to go on your own floor,
you can't lose those," Saunders said. "We did not play smart
today."
Kevin Garnett led Minnesota (21-18) with 22 points, but he made
just 8 of 19 shots. He missed two jumpers in the final 1:30,
including a 3-pointer that could have given Minnesota the lead.
Minnesota had led 52-51 at halftime, but a 3-pointer by Pierce
erased that, and Boston led by as many as seven points in the third
quarter. The Timberwolves rallied to tie the score at 76 entering
the fourth quarter.
"You want your bench to help keep you in the game and then have
your stars finish it off," Minnesota reserve forward Sam Mitchell
said. "Today, the guys on the bench did their job, but it just
didn't work out."
Game notes
Boston's Kenny Anderson missed his second consecutive game
with a sprained right ankle. Randy Brown replaced him in the
starting lineup. Celtics players have missed 116 games because of
injuries this season. ... Pierce's 42 points were the most against
the Timberwolves this season. ... Minnesota attempted 41 free
throws in the game, nearly double their season average of 21. ...
Former Minnesota Twins star Kirby Puckett, a candidate to be
elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, received a
standing ovation from the Timberwolves players and the Target
Center crowd when he was introduced in the second quarter.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 104
San Antonio 82
Milwaukee 101
Washington 95
Philadelphia 84
Charlotte 79
New Jersey 84
Atlanta 78
Sacramento 116
Dallas 105
Boston 107
Minnesota 102
Cleveland 107
Golden State 101
Indiana 89
LA Clippers 74
Orlando 113
Chicago 104
LA Lakers 113
Vancouver 112
Denver 122
Seattle 111
Utah 116
Houston 104
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Antoine Walker Official Site
Kevin Garnett Official Site
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