Timberwolves Take Over Top Spot

First place in the Western Conference belongs to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who moved into that lofty position with an impressive performance at one of the league’s toughest arenas.

Sam Cassell scored 29 points and Kevin Garnett added 24 points and 17 rebounds as Minnesota moved ahead of Sacramento in the standings with a 94-86 victory Thursday night at Arco Arena.

Minnesota (55-24) rallied from an 11-point third-quarter deficit against the Kings, who were held to 17 fourth-quarter points. The Timberwolves moved a half-game ahead of the Kings (54-24) and 1 1/2 games ahead of the Lakers (53-25) and Spurs (53-25).

Minnesota won the season series from Sacramento, 3-1.

Cassell scored with 1:59 left to make it 83-79 and also had two rebounds in the final minutes, including one on a missed layup by Mike Bibby with 1:30 to play. Chris Webber had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Bibby added 19 points, seven assists and three steals for Sacramento.

The Kings’ Bobby Jackson scored 10 points in 13 minutes in his first game back after sitting out 24 games because of a strained abdominal muscle.

Dallas 117, Utah 94 -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and Antawn Jamison added 25, leading the host Mavericks to their sixth straight victory.

Dallas (50-28) moved into a tie with Memphis for the fifth spot in the Western Conference with four games left. The Mavericks, 35-5 at home, play three of their remaining games on the road.

The Jazz (41-38) fell a half-game behind Denver and Portland for the West’s eighth and final playoff spot.

New Jersey 101, Orlando 81 -- Jason Kidd started for the first time since March 18 and banked in a half-court shot at the end of the third quarter to give the host Nets the lead for good.

The loss assured the Magic, which has lost 12 straight, at least a tie for the league’s worst record.