Timberwolves Earn This One Over Spurs

Sam Cassell wasn’t thrilled after the third triple-double of his career.

Cassell had 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves held off San Antonio, 86-81, Tuesday night at Minneapolis and extended their Midwest Division lead to three games over the Spurs.

Cassell was harassed into two-for-11 shooting from the floor by Bruce Bowen but was 10 for 11 at the free-throw line.

“I was terrible,” Cassell said. “That’s cool, but I pride myself on making shots.

“We won the game. I’ll take that any night.”

Despite his poor shooting, Cassell made four crucial foul shots in the final two minutes. It was his first triple-double of the season. Kevin Garnett scored 27 points, and Latrell Sprewell had 20 as the Timberwolves won their third in a row.

The Spurs have lost four road games in a row and split the season series, 2-2, with Minnesota.

Tim Duncan, in his second game in the starting lineup since returning from a left knee injury, led San Antonio with 26 points but missed a pair of free throws that would have given the Spurs a two-point lead with 2:17 left.

“I put this one on my shoulders. I had two or three opportunities at the end of the game to score,” Duncan said. “I just didn’t get it done.”

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New Orleans 82, Detroit 81 -- Jamaal Magloire’s last-second jumper at New Orleans ended the Pistons’ eight-game winning streak.

Baron Davis had 12 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists before spraining his left ankle late in the third quarter. He did not return.

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Phoenix 103, Cleveland 86 -- Joe Johnson tied a career high with 31 points at Cleveland as the Cavaliers lost their third in a row and retained only a half-game lead over Boston for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

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Memphis 95, Toronto 86 -- Pau Gasol scored 29 points as the Grizzlies forced the Raptors into 33% shooting at Memphis, Tenn.

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New Jersey 84, Chicago 81 -- Lucious Harris started for Jason Kidd (knee injury) and scored 19 points at Chicago to help the Nets end a three-game skid. Jamal Crawford had 34 points for Chicago but missed a three-point shot at the buzzer.

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Utah 85, Washington 77 -- Andrei Kirilenko had 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, seven blocked shots and four steals at Salt Lake City to help the Jazz move a half-game ahead of Denver for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

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Indiana Pacer forward Jermaine O’Neal has a bone bruise in his left knee and will not play tonight against the Dallas Mavericks. He was injured during Monday’s victory over Chicago.