|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The San Antonio Spurs needed more than their
Twin Towers to eliminate the Minnesota Timberwolves from their
first-round series Monday night.
|  | | Kevin Garnett had 19 points Monday, but couldn't escape defeat against the Spurs and their Twin Towers. |
Tim Duncan scored 24 and David Robinson added 21 in the 97-84
victory, but timely 3-pointers by Danny Ferry and Antonio Daniels
put the Spurs over the top.
Duncan was just 8-of-23 from the field, and Robinson went to the
bench with his fourth foul in the third period. Ferry and Daniels
hit four 3-pointers apiece to prove that these Spurs are more than
a two-man show.
"We've ridden on Timmy's back all season," Ferry said. "When
teams double-team him, we have other guys who can shoot the ball."
The Spurs, 3-1 winners of the series, also knocked the Wolves
out of the first round in 1999, before going on to win the NBA
title. They will play the winner of the Dallas-Utah series.
"It doesn't matter who we play," said Duncan, who also had 16
rebounds. "You can say that, and sometimes it does matter. This
time, it really doesn't. If Dallas comes back, that could take a
lot out of them. Utah would be fine, too."
The Wolves lost in the first round for the fifth time in as many
seasons. Their 0-5 series record in the playoffs is the worst among
all NBA franchises.
"It's getting pretty old," Timberwolves guard Terrell Brandon
said. "The fans want something else to happen, and they deserve
it."
Robinson came up with a pair of big baskets after Minnesota's
Brandon and Anthony Peeler, both scoreless in the first half, hit
back-to-back 3-pointers with less than six minutes left to make it
75-73.
"There was a tough stretch where we got into a slump there,"
said Robinson, who had 14 rebounds. "Coming back down the floor, I
felt pretty good so I put them up there. Finishing out this game
means so much to me."
The Spurs outscored the Wolves 22-11 the rest of the way.
"That's vintage NBA playoff basketball right there," the
Wolves' LaPhonso Ellis said.
The Wolves' Wally Szczerbiak scored 20 points, giving him 38
over the last two games. He was held to 18 points in the first two
games of the series.
Kevin Garnett added 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Brandon
finished with 17.
Robinson played the fourth period with four fouls. He picked up
his fourth with 4:26 remaining in the third period, and the Spurs
leading 63-57.
They took a 71-63 lead into the fourth quarter, with the help of
the 3-pointers by Ferry and Daniels.
"It's pretty much pick your poison," the Wolves' Chauncey
Billups said. "They're great shooters over there."
Ferry finished with 18 points and Daniels had 16 to make up for
a poor shooting night by Duncan, who was 8 for 23.
"It was either a swish or an airball, it seems," Ferry said.
Minnesota's guards missed their first 10 shots. Brandon and
Peeler were a combined 0-for-6 in the first half, which ended with
the Spurs leading 44-43.
Reserves scored 17 of 19 points for the Spurs during a stretch
between the first and second periods, boosting their lead to 31-26.
Malik Rose scored the Spurs' final seven points of the first
period, which ended at 19-19. Reserves Daniels, Rose and Samaki
Walker combined to score 21 of the Spurs' 44 points in the first
half.
Game notes
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders became the first coach in
NBA history to lose in the first round five seasons in a row. ...
The Wolves lost Game 4 for the fourth season in a row. ... The
Spurs have never been forced to Game 5 of a five-game series after
winning the first two games. ... Peeler was 9-for-41 in the Wolves'
three losses. ... The contest drew 16,336 fans, the second-smallest
crowd in team playoff history and about 3,000 short of a sellout.
The crowd included Baseball Hall of Fame-elect Kirby Puckett and
Minnesota Vikings players Randy Moss, Daunte Culpepper and Korey
Stringer.
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Timberwolves-Spurs Series Page
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Coach Gregg Popovich credits David Robinson with elevating the Spurs' game.
wav: 138 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Flip Saunders realizes the T'Wolves will need to get Kevin Garnett some help for next year.
wav: 212 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Good ball movement opened things up for Danny Ferry and the Spurs' shooters (Courtesy: TNT Sports).
wav: 105 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
David Robinson felt the Spurs put the pressure on early (Courtesy: TNT Sports).
wav: 71 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
