Timberwolves End Six-Game Drought

Eddie Griffin sat patiently on the bench, waiting for his chance. When he finally got it, Griffin rescued the reeling Minnesota Timberwolves.

After sitting for three-plus quarters, Griffin had 10 points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in the final 10 minutes to spark Minnesota to a 98-92 victory over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, ending a six-game losing streak.

“When you lost six in a row ... your concern is, are guys going to be able to fight back or are they going to hang their heads?” Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders said. “Tonight for one of the few times all season, they fought back.”

Kevin Garnett led Minnesota with 24 points.

Denver led, 82-77, with just under six minutes left. Wally Szczerbiak, however, responded with a jumper and a three-point play, and Griffin backed down Nene for a bucket to tie the score at 82-82 less than two minutes later, setting up a back-and-forth final four minutes that featured five lead changes.

Griffin then scored eight of Minnesota’s final 16 points to close out the victory.

Carmelo Anthony had 21 points for Denver.

Memphis 98, Philadelphia 95 -- Dahntay Jones scored a career-high 23 points at Philadelphia to help the Grizzlies hold off the 76ers.

Philadelphia seemed confused on its final possession when Corliss Williamson took the inbound pass and stood looking for an open player. He finally took a shot, missed, grabbed the rebound and passed the ball out to Kyle Korver. Korver’s three-point attempt missed, and the Grizzlies won for the eighth time in 11 games.

The 76ers’ Allen Iverson had 38 points and 10 assists after sitting out Monday’s game against New Jersey because of flu-like symptoms.

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Washington 95, San Antonio 87 -- Antawn Jamison had a season-high 35 points, Gilbert Arenas had 24 and the Wizards took advantage of Tim Duncan’s absence at Washington.

The Wizards won their third in a row and avenged a 101-73 loss at San Antonio three weeks ago. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Spurs.

Tony Parker had 22 points for the Spurs, who played their second game in a row without Duncan, who has an ankle injury.

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Miami 116, New York 110 -- Dwyane Wade scored 30 points with six assists and six rebounds, and Damon Jones scored a season-high 24 at Miami to help the Heat to its fourth victory in a row.

Stephon Marbury led a fourth-quarter comeback and had 36 points for the Knicks, who outscored Miami, 13-2, in the final 3 minutes 53 seconds of regulation but never led in overtime in losing for the 17th time in 20 games.

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Houston 105, Chicago 92 -- Tracy McGrady scored 24 points, and Yao Ming had 21 points and 10 rebounds at Houston to help the Rockets win a season-high fifth in a row. Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 20 rebounds for Chicago.

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Indiana 94, Charlotte 87 -- Jermaine O’Neal had 29 points and 10 rebounds, and the Pacers led by as many as 16 points in the first half en route to victory at Indianapolis. Melvin Ely, starting for rookie Emeka Okafor, who has an ankle injury, led Charlotte with 20 points and 17 rebounds.

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Milwaukee 110, Toronto 107 -- Michael Redd had 29 points, and the Bucks used a 14-3 fourth-quarter run to win at Toronto. Jalen Rose had 26 points for Toronto but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Raptors have lost three in a row.

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New Orleans 91, Portland 80 -- Rookie J.R. Smith had 19 points at Portland, Ore., to help the Hornets end a six-game losing streak. Damon Stoudamire had 30 points for Portland.