Timberwolves Rally Past the Kings

Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 35 points and had 18 rebounds and nine assists, and the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied to defeat the Sacramento Kings, 113-105, Friday night at Minneapolis.

Playing in front of 19,101, their largest crowd of the season, the Timberwolves trailed for most of the first three quarters before using an 18-3 run in the fourth to turn a four-point deficit into a 109-98 lead with 2:57 left.

Garnett scored 10 points and had five assists in a fourth quarter in which he was teamed for most of the period with four reserves -- Fred Hoiberg, Eddie Griffin, Troy Hudson and Trenton Hassell. That quartet combined for 22 points.

Garnett made four free throws to tie the score at 95-95, then threw a cross-court pass to Hoiberg, who made a three-point basket for a 98-97 advantage, the Timberwolves’ first lead since 6-5.

Chris Webber scored 12 of his 25 points in the third quarter, and Bobby Jackson made three three-pointers, including one at the buzzer, to give Sacramento an 82-76 lead after three.

It was another in a series of high-scoring, hard-fought games between the Western Conference foes. The Timberwolves handed the Kings their only other loss in the last 14 games by winning, 121-110, at Arco Arena on Nov. 28.

*

Miami 92, Memphis 84 -- Dwyane Wade narrowly missed a triple-double and Shaquille O’Neal scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter at Miami.

O’Neal made four of his five shot attempts in the final 12 minutes, a stark difference from the middle two quarters when the Grizzlies held him scoreless and he missed the only three shots he tried.

Wade had 26 points, nine assists and nine rebounds -- coming up just short in a bid for what would have been the fifth triple-double in Heat history and the second in the last 10 seasons. He and O’Neal combined for 19 of Miami’s 23 fourth-quarter points.

*

Atlanta 88, Detroit 72 -- The Hawks, who led by as many as 29, won for just the second time in 12 games and held the Pistons to a franchise record for fewest points in a home game.

Detroit played without two key big men -- Rasheed Wallace (hamstring) and Antonio McDyess (calf) -- and spent most of the game with Ben Wallace as its only veteran inside player. Darko Milicic was forced to play a career-high 24 minutes, scoring four points.

*

Milwaukee 95, Indiana 86 -- The victory at Milwaukee, the Bucks’ second over the Pacers in four days, helped them avoid their worst starting record in a decade, a 5-12 mark to begin the 1994-95 season. Milwaukee (6-11) had lost nine of its previous 11 games.

The Pacers, who have lost six in a row, are 3-7 since three of their top players -- Ron Artest, Jermaine O’Neal and Stephen Jackson -- were suspended for fighting with Detroit fans on Nov. 19.

*

Philadelphia 93, Chicago 88 -- The 76ers ended an eight-game road losing streak despite scoring only two points during the final 4:46. The Bulls scored 10 unanswered points to get to within 91-88. Kirk Hinrich was called for a charge after making a driving layup with 1:00 left that would have cut the 76ers’ lead to one point. Allen Iverson had a steal with 16 seconds left, and Andre Iguodala made two free throws to make it 93-88.

*

Washington 106, New York 104 -- Brendan Haywood atoned for two missed free throws by converting a three-point play off the Wizards’ 27th offensive rebound with 7.1 seconds remaining at Washington.

The three points were Haywood’s first of the second half and came after he missed the free throws with 55 seconds remaining. He scored 17 points in the first half.

*

New Jersey 94, New Orleans 91 -- Jason Kidd made a go-ahead basket early in overtime, and the Nets denied former coach Byron Scott a win in his return to New Jersey. Kidd, playing in his third game since returning from knee surgery, had eight points and eight assists in a season-high 28 minutes.

The Nets rallied from a seven-point deficit with 2:10 to play in the fourth quarter and sent the Hornets to their season-high ninth consecutive loss and 17th in 18 games.

*

Denver 101, Toronto 87 -- Carmelo Anthony had 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Nene had a season-high 21 points at Toronto to lead the Nuggets to their fourth consecutive victory.

With regular starting center Marcus Camby sidelined because of a bruised tailbone, Nene made nine of 10 shots in a season-high 40 minutes.

Rafer Alston had 25 points for Toronto, which has lost six in a row. Before the game, the Raptors put Vince Carter on the injured because of a strained left Achilles’ tendon. He will sit out at least five games.

*

Phoenix 115, Charlotte 106 -- Amare Stoudemire came close to the first triple-double of his career with 36 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists at Phoenix.

The victory was the Suns’ fourth in a row, 13th in their last 14 games and gave them a 17-3 record -- tying Seattle for the best in the league -- on the one-year anniversary of Mike D’Antoni taking over as head coach.

*

Orlando 113, Golden State 109 -- Steve Francis scored a season-high 36 points and also finished with eight rebounds and eight assists at Oakland in the Magic’s fifth win in six games. Francis shot 11 for 26 and made all 14 of his free throws, carrying the load as Grant Hill sat out because of a badly bruised right shin.

*

Utah 92, Portland 87 -- At Salt Lake City, Matt Harpring scored six points in overtime to lift the Jazz past the Trail Blazers and end a six-game losing streak. The Jazz avoided its first seven-game skid since 1981-82.