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Streaking Timberwolves bite Jazz 104-90
Latrell Sprewell scored 24 points, showing some familiar feistiness in Minnesota's 104-90 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night in a critical game for both clubs.
Kevin Garnett posted his 71st double-double — 21 points and 17 rebounds — for the Timberwolves, who won their eighth straight and stayed on track for the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs. If they win at Memphis on Wednesday night, they get it.
Carlos Arroyo had 19 points and Andrei Kirilenko added 16 for the Jazz, whose quest for the eighth and final playoff spot took a big hit. The began the day tied with Denver, which played Sacramento later Monday night. The Nuggets own the tiebreaker.
Sam Cassell scored 18 points for Minnesota, which started the night a game ahead of San Antonio and Sacramento in the West race.
The Jazz whittled the deficit to 79-71 midway through the fourth quarter — the first time since early in the second quarter they were within single digits — until Garnett rejected a dunk attempt by Michael Ruffin. Sprewell swished a 3-pointer off the subsequent fast break, and Utah never came closer.
The Jazz didn't go quietly, though. Raja Bell punctuated a physical game by giving Sprewell a hard forearm to the chest during a drive toward the lane.
Sprewell charged Bell in a profane confrontation, picking up a technical foul after Bell was whistled for a flagrant. The jawing continued during the dead ball, and Bell exchanged obscene barbs with the Minnesota bench.
Wally Szczerbiak scored 17 points for the Wolves, who set a season high for free-throw attempts with 49. They made 40, scoring their last 22 points — over the final 7:15 — at the foul line.
The Wolves, who shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half, used a 33-8 run to build a lead as large as 23 points. Cassell scored 11 points in the second quarter, and Szczerbiak added six.
Utah didn't come out with the urgency of a team trying to make the playoffs. Giricek, who had 10 points in the first half, was called for a shot-clock violation and then threw a pass off Kirilenko's shin that went out of bounds.
Minnesota's defense, though, deserved credit. During the winning streak, which dates to March 27, the Wolves have held their opponents to 82.3 points per game.
Notes:@ PG Troy Hudson (ankle) was eligible to come off the injured list, but the Timberwolves decided to rest him at least another day. ... Utah missed a chance to join Portland as the only Western Conference teams to take the season series from Minnesota. The Jazz and Wolves split their four games. ... Cassell howled in pain during an early timeout after hurting a fingernail. Teammate Ervin Johnson grinned at him and said, "Man, you need a pedicure or something." ... Utah finished 14-27 on the road, and Minnesota went 31-10 at home. |
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