Timberwolves’ Woes Continue in Charlotte

The expansion Bobcats took advantage of the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, winning, 102-84, at Charlotte, N.C.

And it all started with Gerald Wallace, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds and opened the game with three offensive rebounds on one possession before closing it with a dunk. He played at a furious pace throughout, especially during a 16-1 fourth-quarter run that helped Charlotte end its six-game losing streak.

Kevin Garnett had 23 points and 20 rebounds for Minnesota, which lost its fourth in a row and fell to 16-14 one season after finishing a franchise-best 58-24 for the second-best record in the NBA.

“Right now we are finding ways to lose instead of finding ways to win,” Coach Flip Saunders said. “We’re just trying to make too many great plays. We are passing the ball like we are up 20 points.”

Latrell Sprewell did not play in the fourth quarter and scored four points for Minnesota.

Orlando 105, Seattle 87 -- Steve Francis scored 27 of his 35 points after halftime at Orlando, Fla., to help the Magic end a four-game losing streak.

Ray Allen had 30 points for Seattle, which had won three in a row, all on the road, and five of six.

Miami 102, New York 94 -- Shaquille O’Neal had 33 points and 18 rebounds and the Heat limited the Knicks to two field goals in a seven-minute stretch of the first half in a victory at Miami.

Stephon Marbury had 28 points for New York.

Phoenix 108, Houston 98 -- Shawn Marion scored 22 points and Quentin Richardson added 18 points and 14 rebounds at Houston to help the Suns win their fourth in a row and improve their NBA-best record to 28-4.

Tracy McGrady led Houston with 24 points.

Toronto 96, Sacramento 93 -- Chris Bosh had 23 points and 13 rebounds to help the Raptors improve their home winning streak to five.

Mike Bibby had a season-high 32 points for the Kings, who had won eight of nine on the road.

Cleveland 101, Atlanta 85 -- Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 20 of his 28 points after halftime and the Cavaliers outscored the Hawks, 12-0, in the first 8:16 of the fourth quarter to win at Cleveland. Antoine Walker had 26 points for the Hawks.

Boston 84, Golden State 83 -- Paul Pierce had 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the Celtics’ fifth straight victory at home. Derek Fisher missed the final shot for the Warriors.

Chicago 95, New Orleans 89 -- Kirk Hinrich scored 19 points at New Orleans to help the Bulls send the Hornets to their ninth straight loss. The Hornets fell to 2-28 and are on pace to eclipse the worst record in NBA history -- 9-73 by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers.

Milwaukee 97, New Jersey 74 -- Joe Smith and Mike James had 17 points apiece at Milwaukee to help the Bucks end a three-game losing streak. Vince Carter, who had averaged 24 points in his first five games with New Jersey, had 14.

Philadelphia 106, Utah 99 -- Allen Iverson had 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the 76ers won at Salt Lake City for the first time in four years by handing the Jazz its seventh loss in a row. Carlos Boozer had 24 points for Utah.

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Derrick Coleman was released by the Detroit Pistons after playing in only five games.

Coleman, the first pick in the 1990 draft, averaged 1.8 points, three rebounds and 10 minutes this season. He missed 17 games because of a leg injury. Coleman, 37, was acquired from Philadelphia in an off-season trade for Corliss Williams.

In another move, Detroit signed guard Anthony Goldwire to a 10-day contract.

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Waived Monday after less than a week with the team, forward Jerome Moiso was re-signed by the New Jersey Nets.... The Milwaukee Bucks waived guards Kendall Gill and Eddie House.