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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – By the time Stephon Marbury got hot, the man
who replaced him as the Minnesota Timberwolves' point guard had put
the game away.
|  | | The Timberwolves' Terrell Brandon looks for an open man as the Nets' Stephon Marbury applies pressure. |
Terrell Brandon scored a career-high 34 points to lead the
Timberwolves to a 105-91 victory over the New Jersey Nets on
Sunday.
Brandon shot 15-for-25 from the field and added six assists for
the Wolves, who won a franchise-record 27th home game this season.
Marbury scored 32 points against his former team, including 20
in the second half. Johnny Newman added 24 for the Nets.
The Timberwolves traded Marbury to the Nets in the March 11,
1999, deal that brought Brandon from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Asked about his individual matchup with Marbury, Brandon said,
"I sure wasn't trying to make it into that, but I guess it ended
up that way. I just took what the defense gave me. Tonight the
shots were there and I was aggressive."
Brandon scored 21 points in the first half as Minnesota led by as many as 23 points.
Marbury shot 12-for-31 from the field and admitted he was
pressing as another teammate went down with an injury. Keith Van
Horn, who has played in only 40 games this season because of
injuries, left the game with a bruised left knee in the first half.
Van Horn's injury came just two games after rookie Kenyon Martin
broke his right leg.
"It's tough to go to war when you've got pistols and they've got
grenades and bombs," Marbury said.
Kevin Garnett and Wally Szczerbiak each scored 18 points for
Minnesota.
"This is progress," Garnett said. "We've come a long way
since 1989 (the franchise's first year). We can't fix the past, but
it's something to build on."
The past included two playoff appearances with Marbury starting
at the point, before his departure. Fans at Target Center booed
Marbury nearly every time he touched the ball.
Marbury helped get New Jersey back in the game by scoring 17
points in the third quarter to cut a 21-point halftime deficit to
84-75 with 1:33 left in the period.
But Brandon hit a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left in the quarter
to restore the lead to 12, and New Jersey never got closer than 11
in the fourth quarter.
"He played extremely well tonight," Marbury said of Brandon.
"He shot the ball really well, and they got the win. That's the
most important thing. Any time he gets things going, he's very
tough to guard."
The Wolves made 10 of their first 11 shots and 15 of 21 in the
first quarter to build a 14-point lead. The Wolves shot 66 percent
in the half.
New Jersey suffered an emotional letdown when Van Horn limped
off the court in the first quarter after a collision under the
basket. He tried to return in the second quarter but played only
four more minutes.
"After I got hit, I kind of twisted it a little bit and it
stiffened up on me," Van Horn said. "Essentially I wasn't going
to be able to help the team out there."
Game notes
Brandon's previous career high was 33 points, coming
against Utah on Dec. 22, 1996, when he played for Cleveland. ...
Felipe Lopez started at shooting guard for the Wolves, replacing
Anthony Peeler, who was placed on the injured list Sunday with a
sprained left ankle. ... Minnesota went 26-15 at Target Center in
1997-98 and again last season. ... The Wolves' 20 wins against the
Eastern Conference also were a franchise record. Minnesota has
beaten every team but New York this year. ... Marbury has averaged
31 points in four games against the Wolves since his trade.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
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RECAPS
Toronto 102
Vancouver 92
Orlando 84
Indiana 82
Miami 88
San Antonio 83
Milwaukee 105
Atlanta 98
Boston 102
Chicago 98
Minnesota 105
New Jersey 91
LA Lakers 84
Sacramento 72
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