Timberwolves end 13-game skid

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended a 13-game losing streak and won for the first time this season under Kevin McHale, getting a season-best 23 points from Rashad McCants in a 120-107 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Al Jefferson had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who won for the first time since beating Oklahoma City on Nov. 28. They had dropped their first eight games under McHale, who took over when Randy Wittman was fired Dec. 8.

“The guys have been playing hard and we really needed this one,” McHale said. “At the end of the game I said, ‘Thank God,’ and I meant it.

“Anything worth having in life takes some faith. And when that faith happens, it’s a beautiful thing. And they’ve got to have faith that when they go out and play hard, good things are going to happen for them.”

Sebastian Telfair finished with a season-high 20 points and Randy Foye had 19 for the Timberwolves, who overran New York by using the Knicks’ primary weapon, the three-pointer.

Minnesota came in 28th in the league in three-point percentage and was making 4.6 a game -- 6.0 fewer than New York’s league-best average -- but made a season-best 13 in 24 attempts (54%).

Nate Robinson and Al Harrington each scored 26 points for the Knicks, who lost their fifth consecutive game.

Minnesota was closing in on its longest losing streak, a 16-game skid. But the Timberwolves put seven players in double figures for McHale’s first victory since he led them to a 19-12 mark after taking over when Flip Saunders was fired in the 2004-05 season.