Garnett Carries Timberwolves

Kevin Garnett had 31 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves followed up their 18-point victory over the Lakers by defeating the Washington Wizards, 108-100, Saturday at Washington.

Chauncey Billups scored 19 of his season-high 29 points in the first quarter, giving the Timberwolves a lead they never relinquished.

Michael Jordan scored 35 points, made his first flashy dunk of the season and toyed with Garnett on three consecutive possessions.

But Jordan scored only nine points and was four for 13 from the field in the second half, finishing 14 for 30 with five turnovers in 40 minutes.

Memphis 97, Utah 95--Jason Williams scored 22 points and Pau Gasol had 18, and the Grizzlies held on for a double-overtime victory at Salt Lake City.

The outcome wasn’t decided until Utah’s John Starks threw the ball away with four seconds remaining and the Jazz trying to start a fastbreak.

The Grizzlies led, 97-95, and had run the clock down when Shane Battier’s jumper was blocked by Andrei Kirilenko.

Starks got the ball into the frontcourt but tossed it into the backcourt.

Karl Malone led the Jazz with 23 points, but he didn’t score in either overtime period. John Stockton had 21 points.

Boston 115, Atlanta 91--Paul Pierce scored 31 points and Antoine Walker had 23 to lift the Celtics at Atlanta.

The Celtics, who improved to 14-1 when they score 100 points, had only two victories in their last seven road games.

Dion Glover led the Hawks with 19 points.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Detroit 104, Charlotte 76--Jerry Stackhouse scored 27 points, and Cliff Robinson had 21 at Auburn Hills, Mich., helping the Pistons end a three-game slide.

The 28-point victory matched Detroit’s biggest this season and was the Pistons’ third victory in 15 games.

Reserve Corliss Williamson scored 17 points for the Pistons and Ben Wallace had 16 rebounds.

David Wesley led the Hornets with 14 points.

New Jersey 91 Orlando 85--Reserve Lucious Harris scored 20 points and Jason Kidd led a late charge at Orlando, and the Nets won their fourth in a row.

Kidd had six of his 14 points in the final 3:56 and the Nets closed the game with a 14-5 run. He had 10 rebounds and six assists.

Tracy McGrady had 17 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for Orlando.

Dallas 111, Indiana 102--Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and Steve Nash scored 29--15 in the fourth quarter-- at Dallas to help the Mavericks rally from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter.

Reserve Eduardo Najera had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, winners of 13 of their last 15. Nash had 11 assists and Nowitzki had 11 rebounds.

Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose each had 18 points for the Pacers.

Milwaukee 102, New York 97-- Ray Allen scored a season-high 37 points at New York, including a Milwaukee franchise record-tying eight three-point baskets.

The Knicks scored a season-low 12 points in the first quarter and extended their skid to a season-worst five games.

Allan Houston scored a career-best 44 points and led New York’s rally from a 64-40 deficit midway through the third quarter.

The Knicks cut the deficit to two points.

Houston scored 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Knicks pulled within 86-84 on Kurt Thomas’ basket with 3:36 to play.

The Bucks answered by opening a nine-point lead, but the Knicks pulled within 99-97 on Houston’s three-pointer with 20 seconds left.

After Allen made a free throw, Othella Harrington missed a three-point shot with seven seconds left.

Houston 98, Denver 86--Eddie Griffin tied his career high with 25 points on 10-for-11 shooting and blocked five shots to lead the Rockets at Houston.

Kenny Thomas had 15 points, and Steve Francis had 14 points and seven assists for the Rockets.

Voshon Lenard scored 20 points, and James Posey had 19 for the Nuggets, who lost their sixth of seven outings.

Nick Van Exel, the team’s leading scorer with a 23.6-point average, missed his first nine shots and finished with four points on 2-for-14 shooting.

Phoenix 108, Miami 74--Shawn Marion had 21 points in under three quarters at Phoenix, and the Suns ended a five-game losing streak.

Reserve Eddie House had 15 points for the Heat, which shot 32.6% (30 for 92).

The Heat’s 28 points in the first half and 10 points in the second quarter were record lows for a Phoenix opponent.

Brian Grant scored 14 points and Alonzo Mourning had 10 for Miami.