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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Timberwolves learned it's not
enough to use one or two players against Tim Duncan. So they ran
four at him Saturday.
|  | | Terrell Brandon scored 21 points and handed out nine assists for the Wolves. |
Terrell Brandon had 21 points and nine assists, Kevin Garnett scored 22, and Minnesota got Duncan in foul trouble in its 93-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, extending the playoff series.
Reggie Slater, Rasho Nesterovic, LaPhonso Ellis and Dean Garrett combined for 14 fouls while limiting Duncan to 15 points and 10
rebounds. Most importantly, they kept the Spurs' star off the court
for 19 of the game's 48 minutes because of his foul woes.
David Robinson led San Antonio with 22 points and 17 rebounds.
"There's no question our ability to go at Timmy and get him in
foul trouble had a big part in the game," Timberwolves coach Flip
Saunders said. "It takes pressure off you defensively, because you
don't have to expose yourself as quickly by trapping both Duncan and David.
"It helps when you only have to play one of the Twin Towers."
Game 4 is Monday night in Minneapolis. The Spurs hold a 2-1 lead
in the best-of-five first-round series.
"We can't get frustrated," San Antonio's Derek Anderson said.
"There's no point getting upset or frustrated. They didn't get
frustrated when they were down 2-0."
Duncan had 15 points and 10 rebounds, but sat out a chunk of the
fourth quarter with five fouls. He avoided fouling out for what
would have been only the seventh time in his four-year, 317-game
career, including the playoffs.
His fifth foul came while he was on offense and away from the
ball, trying to separate himself from Slater.
"I have to be more cautious," Duncan said. "I have to stay in
the game."
He left the court with 9:03 left and the Spurs trailing 73-68,
but they were within 77-74 when he returned with 5:15 remaining.
Duncan promptly dunked at the end of a break, pulling the Spurs
within a point.
Brandon, though, hit a pair of pullup jumpers and Anthony
Peeler, who was 6-for-29 in the first two games of the series, hit
a pair of 3-pointers to help the Timberwolves pull away.
Peeler had five of the Timberwolves' 12 steals, which led to 26
points.
"I was just trying to be a little pest on David and Timmy,"
Peeler said.
Slater, who gave up about 5 inches against Duncan and Robinson, scored six points early in the fourth quarter to chants of "Reggie! Reggie!" He had a few slammed back in his face, too, but kept shooting.
"Sometimes you're the bug," said Slater, who played only 14 minutes in the first two games. "Sometimes you're the windshield."
The Wolves went on a 10-2 run to take a 64-54 lead in the third
period, but the Spurs answered with a 12-4 run and pulled to 68-66
going into the fourth.
Duncan picked up his fourth foul on a drive by Wally Szczerbiak
that resulted in a three-point play, giving the Wolves a 52-47 lead
with 8:42 left in the period.
Brandon sprained his left ankle in Game 1, but still was able to
split the Wolves' first 18 points with Garnett. Peeler was
Minnesota's third player to score, about nine minutes into the
game.
Garnett scored his ninth point on Duncan's second foul, which
sent the Spurs' star to the bench with five minutes left in the
first quarter. Duncan's foul on Garrett with four minutes left in
the half sent him to the bench having scored seven points in 14
minutes.
Game notes
The Timberwolves watched videotape of Denver's 1994 playoff
victory over Seattle, one of only five times in NBA history a team
has rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-game series. Current
Timberwolves LaPhonso Ellis and Tom Hammonds were on that Denver
team, which like the Wolves was a No. 8 seed. ... In their
five-year playoff history, the Wolves are 4-2 when they score 90 or
more points and 1-12 when held to fewer than 90.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Timberwolves-Spurs Series Page
RECAPS
Philadelphia 92
Indiana 87
Dallas 94
Utah 91
Minnesota 93
San Antonio 84
Orlando 121
Milwaukee 116
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Avery Johnson says it's tough to win in the playoffs.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Reggie Slater feels great after the T-Wolves deny the Spurs the sweep.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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