Timberwolves Handle East’s Best

The Indiana Pacers are the top team in the Eastern Conference, but that doesn’t mean much in today’s NBA. On Saturday night they were routed by the West’s No. 4 team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, 102-80, in Minneapolis.

Kevin Garnett had 28 points to lead the Timberwolves to their fifth consecutive victory. Backup Fred Hoiberg had 21 points, and Sam Cassell added 18 points and 10 assists.

Jermaine O’Neal led Indiana with 16 points but made only six of 18 field-goal attempts for the Pacers, who continued their inconsistent shooting by hitting only 35%. It was the Pacers’ worst shooting performance of the season and their third consecutive game under 40%.

“I don’t know what the solution is for bad shooting,” O’Neal said. “I do know that your effort has to be a lot higher when you’re not shooting well.”

The Timberwolves made 52% of their shots and led by as many as 36 points.

“We’re in a little bit of a rhythm right now,” Garnett said. “Our defense is gorgeous right now. For the most part, we’re completing games.”

Garnett also had nine rebounds, six assists and seven blocks, then mused after the game on the prospects of a quadruple-double: “That would have been something, huh?”

Phoenix 102, Houston 87 -- Shawn Marion scored 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Suns stave off a Rocket rally at Phoenix.

Stephon Marbury had 25 points, Joe Johnson 16 and Casey Jacobsen 12 in the victory, new Coach Mike D’Antoni’s second in six games since he replaced Frank Johnson.

Marion also had 11 rebounds for his 12th double-double, the eighth in 10 games. Houston’s two-game winning streak ended.

Cleveland 95, Chicago 87 -- LeBron James, who wears No. 23, the same number as his idol Michael Jordan, had a game-high 32 points and career-high 10 assists for the Cavaliers at Chicago, as Jordan watched from a skybox.

It was James’ third double-double of the season, his first since Nov. 29. He was 11 for 22 from the field and 10 for 12 from the free-throw line. He also had six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Jordan attended his second game of the season, watching with former teammates Charles Oakley and Will Perdue.

New Orleans 94, Memphis 89 -- At New Orleans, Baron Davis had 25 points and 12 assists, and the Hornets broke out of a shooting slump to end a losing streak at three.

Jamaal Magloire added 18 points and 13 rebounds, and P.J. Brown finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, whose losing streak was their longest this season. Bonzi Wells came off the bench to lead Memphis with 18 points.

Seattle 115, Denver 106 -- Richie Frahm made six three-point shots and scored a career-high 31 points, and Ronald Murray had 24 points and 10 assists to lead the SuperSonics past the Nuggets at Denver.

The Sonics were coming off a lopsided loss to San Antonio on Friday night and played without injured guards Antonio Daniels and Brent Barry.

Denver was playing its fourth game in five nights and didn’t get back in town until 5 a.m. after a last-second loss to the Lakers on Friday night.

Milwaukee 92, New Jersey 87 -- Tim Thomas scored 16 of his 21 points in the first quarter and the Bucks scored eight of the final 11 points to beat the Nets at Milwaukee.

Kerry Kittles had 20 points for New Jersey, which had won six of its last seven games. Jason Kidd had 18 points and 10 assists, but missed 13 of his first 15 shots.

New York 103, Atlanta 92 -- Knick Coach Don Chaney yanked Howard Eisley and inserted Frank Williams early in the third quarter, a decision that may have saved Chaney’s job for now. Williams had four assists in a 15-0 third-quarter run that gave the Knicks the lead for good against the visiting Hawks.

The victory was only the third in 11 games for the Knicks (10-18). Chaney is reportedly in danger of being fired if the Knicks continue to languish in the lower part of the woeful Atlantic Division.