NBA ROUNDUP : Warriors, Timberwolves Trade Problems

The Golden State Warriors keep searching, on Saturday looking toward Minnesota, just below them on the NBA’s mediocrity ladder.

The Warriors sent Tom Gugliotta, a symbol of their woebegone season, to the Timberwolves for Donyell Marshall, Minnesota’s symbol of underachievement, in a swap of starcrossed forwards.

Gugliotta was a Warrior for only three months, acquired from the Washington Bullets with three first-round draft picks for Chris Webber, last season’s rookie of the year. At the time, Golden State was 7-1 and Don Nelson coached them.

Since then, the Warriors are 8-32 and Nelson has been sent packing.

Gugliotta has averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 31.1 minutes a game, all accomplished through hustle and all criticized by fans who can’t understand why a coach couldn’t get along with Webber.

Warrior Coach Bob Lanier said he felt the trade was right for both teams.

“The chemistry hasn’t been right for Googs since he’s been here,” Lanier said. “When you look at it, you’ve got to believe this piece fits us better.”

Maybe. Minnesota has been looking for some hustle to mix with a team of underachievers. Marshall averaged 10.8 points, 4.90 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 25.9 minutes for the Timberwolves and was criticized for what some saw as a lack of enthusiasm.

“It was a very up and down year. I really didn’t have the opportunity to show what I could do,” he said.

News of the trade didn’t exactly ignite the Warriors, who lost 129-117, to Seattle at Oakland a few hours later.

Detlef Schrempf scored 17 of his 31 points in a decisive fourth quarter for Seattle, which had won five in a row and 11 of 13 games against the Warriors.

Latrell Sprewell led Golden State with 30 points, and Tim Hardaway had 21 points and added a second consecutive 19-assist game.

Gary Payton had 29 points and Kendall Gill 22 for the Sonics.

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Utah 108, Boston 98--John Stockton had 15 assists and became the first player in NBA history to reach 10,000 assists when the Jazz won at home.

Stockton reached the milestone with 3:41 to play in the second quarter when he passed to Karl Malone for a layup. Stockton broke Magic Johnson’s NBA record of 9,921 on Feb. 1, also on a pass to Malone.

San Antonio 111, Atlanta 97--Vinny Del Negro scored a career-high 31 points at San Antonio for the Spurs, who won for the 10th time in 12 games and snapped the Hawks’ four-game winning streak.

Charlotte 110, Detroit 88--Larry Johnson’s 29 points on 11-for-14 shooting helped the Hornets hit a season-high 62% at Charlotte.

The Hornets took a 13-3 lead in the first six minutes as the Pistons missed 11 of 12 shots en route to 39% shooting for the game.

Cleveland 82, New Jersey 75--The Cavaliers, who have won three in a row since the All-Star break, got 23 points from Chris Mills and limited the Nets to 25 points in the second half at East Rutherford, N.J.

Milwaukee 118, Chicago 111--Vin Baker tied his season high with 27 points and rookie Glenn Robinson had 26 points and a career-high 17 rebounds as the Bucks won at Milwaukee.

Philadelphia 95, Denver 89--Jerome Harmon, a CBA refugee signed to a 10-day contract on Friday, scored 14 points and hit a crucial jump shot with 1:15 to play at Philadelphia, where the 76ers sent the Nuggets to their fifth consecutive defeat.