Jones Comes Through With Game on Line

Close game, against Minnesota, numerous chances at the line.

Flashbacks?

No one could blame the Lakers if the events of Nov. 7 jumped into their minds at some point late Tuesday night, when the venue and the result changed. This time, they were at the Forum and this time they won by converting free throws, making all 10 in the fourth quarter and getting two from Eddie Jones with 1.3 seconds left to provide a 106-104 victory over the Timberwolves before 10,755.

In the first meeting of the season, 32 games ago at the Target Center, the Lakers missed 11 of 26 free-throw attempts and lost by a point. Jones missed the game because of a thumb injury.

Tuesday, he didn’t miss.

“What makes it nice is just to get a win,” Jones said after finishing with 25 points. “Forget about the free throws. Just to get a win under our belts.”

Well, there is that. The Lakers, avoiding a third consecutive loss to the Timberwolves, took a 104-101 lead when Vlade Divac--three for eight from the line Sunday against Denver--spun to the basket, got the layin and the foul and converted the free throw with 12.2 seconds remaining.

The Timberwolves called their last timeout and took the ball out at midcourt. Tom Gugliotta passed the ball in to Christian Laettner, who immediately tapped it back to Gugliotta coming down the left side. With his momentum carrying him off-balance, Gugliotta swished a three-point basket with 9.1 seconds left.

The Lakers’ turn. After a timeout, Cedric Ceballos got the ball to Jones beyond the three-point line. Jones dribbled left, saw Gugliotta step up to challenge him and drew the contact with 1.3 showing.

“They weren’t going to give a touch,” Laker Coach Del Harris said of the officials. “But it was too blatant.”

Jones didn’t waste the opportunities.

“Never a doubt,” he said. “I was confident. I felt my foul stroke was on. I felt good with it.”

The night began with a significant switch: Kevin Garnett, continuing his transition from high school senior to NBA player in months instead of years, went into Minnesota’s opening lineup for the first time, at 19 years, nine months of age. According to research by the Timberwolves, he’s the youngest to start in the pros since Darryl Dawkins was 19 years, four months in 1975-76.

“We’ve played well, but we haven’t won,” Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders said before the game. “Maybe from the standpoint of changing the rotation, it will help. You don’t do this just for him.”

Especially when you’re concerned about the matchup with Ceballos.

“Considering Cedric had 50 on us last year, yes,” Saunders said.

Ceballos started well, making all six of his shots in the first quarter and seven of 11 entering halftime, but Garnett was only on the hook for about seven of the 17 first-half points because he played the first 10 minutes and then sat until the third quarter. Besides, the Timberwolves had bigger problems.

Scoring, for example. Making the fourth stop on a six-game trip, they went scoreless for the first 7:05 of the second quarter and without a field goal the first 8:22. That got the Timberwolves a 45-34 deficit, but they rallied to head into the break down by only three.

There was no shaking Minnesota in the third quarter, either. Anything but--the Timberwolves turned a nine-point deficit into a six-point advantage, then settled for a 78-74 lead heading into the fourth.

Laker Notes

Sam Bowie, having spent the last five weeks considering a return, informed the Lakers on Tuesday he will stay retired, ending a comeback that never really started. Bowie, who proved valuable last season as a backup center and power forward and positive clubhouse leader, said during a Dec. 10 visit to the Forum he had an itch to play again, but it was obvious his heart was never into it. He didn’t even get to the stage of pushing himself through a tough workout to test his desire and physical limitations before making the decision the Lakers and Chicago Bulls had been awaiting. Bowie, who has enjoyed spending time with his 5-year-old daughter, recently learned his wife is pregnant again. . . . When Nick Van Exel had 10 assists Sunday against Denver, it marked the first time he had reached double figures in that category in five weeks. . . . Cedric Ceballos finished with 29 points. Christian Laettner had 29 for the Timberwolves and Isaiah Rider added 23.