Garnett Ejected After Toss Hits Fan

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the fourth quarter without Kevin Garnett.

Now, they have to see if the NBA decides to keep Garnett on the sidelines even longer.

Ricky Davis scored a season-high 35 points to help the Timberwolves overcome Garnett’s ejection and defeat the Grizzlies, 105-99, on Sunday at Minneapolis. Garnett was tossed in the third quarter for flipping the ball into the stands and accidentally hitting a fan.

He was reacting in frustration after being called for an offensive foul with the Timberwolves leading, 64-61, with 7:47 left in the quarter.

“I just tossed it,” Garnett said before leaving the arena at the start of the fourth quarter. “I didn’t even look at where I tossed it. I was just so ... mad.”

Garnett said he didn’t intend to throw the ball into the stands, but rather that he was trying to get a delay-of-game call.

Referee Bob Delaney assessed Garnett a technical foul for tossing the ball, and he was automatically ejected because it hit the fan. Afterward, Garnett walked over to the fan to apologize before leaving the court.

Medical personnel examined the fan, who was wheeled from the court on a gurney to boos. The fan declined to comment to the media. His condition wasn’t immediately available, although he appeared to be uninjured.

“That’s something you don’t want to happen in sports,” Minnesota Coach Dwane Casey said. “Nobody feels worse about it than Kevin.”

Garnett had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Asked if he was afraid Garnett would be suspended for Minnesota’s game at Chicago on Tuesday, Casey sounded optimistic.

“It was just a total accident,” Casey said.

Paul Gasol led Memphis with 23 points.

Detroit 90, Cleveland 78 -- Chauncey Billups scored 21 points and Ben Wallace added 11 points and 19 rebounds at Auburn Hills, Mich., and the Pistons never trailed in winning their fifth in a row.

Detroit, which led by at least 10 for most of the second half, has won 12 straight at home. Cleveland lost its third in a row.

The teams play again tonight at Cleveland.

LeBron James had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers.

Indiana 101, New Jersey 91 -- Peja Stojakovic scored 22 points and Fred Jones added 22 off the bench to help the Pacers end a six-game road losing streak.

Richard Jefferson scored 23 points to lead New Jersey (31-24), which played most of the game without leading scorer Vince Carter, who sustained a right hamstring injury late in the first quarter and did not return.

“It just tightened up,” Carter said. “When I went up, I just felt a grab and I didn’t want it to tear. We’re hoping it’s just a cramp and I can play” tonight at Atlanta.

Houston 89, Orlando 84 -- Yao Ming had 29 points and 11 rebounds and Tracy McGrady, playing his second game at Orlando, Fla., since being traded, added 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists while being booed each time he touched the ball.

Orlando pulled away with a 16-4 third-quarter run.

Grant Hill, starting only his second game in more than a month, led Orlando with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists.

New Orleans 88, Portland 75 -- David West scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter at Portland, Ore., and the Hornets parlayed a 12-4 fourth-quarter run into their seventh victory in the last nine games.

Zach Randolph had 23 points and eight rebounds for Portland, which has lost five in a row and nine of its last 10.