Box Score

 

MINNESOTA (119)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
W Szczerbiak        24   5-9   2-2   2-3   0   1   12
K Garnett           31  7-10   5-6   1-8   7   0   19
M Madsen            15   1-2   0-0   0-2   0   3    2
S Cassell           21   4-5   0-0   0-2   8   3    8
L Sprewell          32  9-14   1-1   2-6   1   0   24
E Griffin           33  9-21   2-2  5-11   4   1   27
T Hudson            24   0-7   4-4   0-3   8   2    4
T Hassell           23   1-7   2-2   2-8   3   3    4
M Olowokandi        14   2-4   4-4   0-3   0   1    8
F Hoiberg           17   3-5   0-0   0-3   1   1    8
A Carter             3   0-0   0-0   0-1   2   1    0
E Johnson            3   1-1   0-0   0-1   0   0    3
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 42-85 20-21 12-51  34  16  119
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.494, FT-.952. 3-Point Goals:
15-34, .441 (W Szczerbiak 0-1, L Sprewell 
5-8, E Griffin 7-15, T Hudson 0-3, T Hassell 
0-2, F Hoiberg 2-4, E Johnson 1-1). Team 
Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots:4 (S Cassell, M 
Olowokandi, M Madsen, E Griffin). 
Turnovers:16 (L Sprewell 3, K Garnett 3, M 
Olowokandi 2, W Szczerbiak 2, M Madsen 2, E 
Johnson, T Hassell, E Griffin, T Hudson). 
Steals: 8 (L Sprewell 2, M Olowokandi 2, S 
Cassell, E Griffin, T Hassell, K Garnett).


PHILADELPHIA (84)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
K Korver            32  2-14   0-0   0-2   3   6    5
K Thomas            28  4-10   2-2   4-6   2   4   10
M Jackson           25   7-8   2-2   1-4   1   1   16
A Iverson           38  2-13 10-10   2-8   5   1   14
A Iguodala          38  8-15   1-2   2-6   5   0   18
S Dalembert         14   0-2   0-0   0-2   0   5    0
A McKie             11   0-1   0-0   1-3   3   1    0
W Green             17   2-9   0-0   0-0   0   2    5
C Williamson         7   2-4   0-0   1-2   0   0    4
J Davis             14   4-6   1-1   1-2   1   1   10
B Skinner            9   1-2   0-0   0-0   0   0    2
J Salmons            7   0-0   0-0   0-2   1   0    0
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 32-84 16-17 12-37  21  21   84
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.381, FT-.941. 3-Point Goals:
4-25, .160 (K Korver 1-12, A Iverson 0-3, A 
Iguodala 1-3, A McKie 0-1, W Green 1-3, J 
Davis 1-3). Team Rebounds: 4. Blocked Shots:2
(S Dalembert, A Iguodala). Turnovers:14 (A 
Iverson 4, S Dalembert 3, M Jackson 2, W 
Green 2, B Skinner, K Korver, A Iguodala). 
Steals: 10 (K Korver 3, A Iguodala 2, A 
McKie, A Iverson, B Skinner, J Davis, J 
Salmons).

--------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA             31  30  29  29  -  119
PHILADELPHIA          26  22  19  17  -   84
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 16,393. T: 2:01. 
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Tom Washington, Zak 
Zarba.

Extended Box

 

MINNESOTA (119) AT PHILADELPHIA (84)

MINNESOTA

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
W SZCZERBIAK      F    24    5-9      2-2      2   1   3    0   1   0   2   12
K GARNETT         F    31    7-10     5-6      1   7   8    7   0   1   3   19
M MADSEN          C    15    1-2      0-0      0   2   2    0   3   0   2    2
S CASSELL         G    21    4-5      0-0      0   2   2    8   3   1   0    8
L SPREWELL        G    32    9-14     1-1      2   4   6    1   0   2   3   24
E GRIFFIN              33    9-21     2-2      5   6  11    4   1   1   1   27
T HUDSON               24    0-7      4-4      0   3   3    8   2   0   1    4
T HASSELL              23    1-7      2-2      2   6   8    3   3   1   1    4
M OLOWOKANDI           14    2-4      4-4      0   3   3    0   1   2   2    8
F HOIBERG              17    3-5      0-0      0   3   3    1   1   0   0    8
A CARTER                3    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    2   1   0   0    0
E JOHNSON               3    1-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   1    3
  
TOTALS                240   42-85    20-21    12  39  51   34  16   8  16  119
                            (.494)  (.952)  TEAM REBS:  5 TOTAL TO: 16 (14 PTS)    

PHILADELPHIA

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
K KORVER          F    32    2-14     0-0      0   2   2    3   6   3   1    5
K THOMAS          F    28    4-10     2-2      4   2   6    2   4   0   0   10
M JACKSON         C    25    7-8      2-2      1   3   4    1   1   0   2   16
A IVERSON         G    38    2-13    10-10     2   6   8    5   1   1   4   14
A IGUODALA        G    38    8-15     1-2      2   4   6    5   0   2   1   18
S DALEMBERT            14    0-2      0-0      0   2   2    0   5   0   3    0
A MCKIE                11    0-1      0-0      1   2   3    3   1   1   0    0
W GREEN                17    2-9      0-0      0   0   0    0   2   0   2    5
C WILLIAMSON            7    2-4      0-0      1   1   2    0   0   0   0    4
J DAVIS                14    4-6      1-1      1   1   2    1   1   1   0   10
B SKINNER               9    1-2      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   1   1    2
J SALMONS               7    0-0      0-0      0   2   2    1   0   1   0    0
  
TOTALS                240   32-84    16-17    12  25  37   21  21  10  14   84
                            (.381)  (.941)  TEAM REBS:  4 TOTAL TO: 14 (17 PTS)    
  
   MINNESOTA          31   30   29   29   -   119
   PHILADELPHIA       26   22   19   17   -   84
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - S CASSELL, M OLOWOKANDI, M MADSEN, E GRIFFIN.
PHILADELPHIA - S DALEMBERT, A IGUODALA.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 15-34 (.441), W SZCZERBIAK 0-1, L SPREWELL 5-
8, E GRIFFIN 7-15, T HUDSON 0-3, T HASSELL 0-2, F HOIBERG 2-4, E JOHNSON 1-
1. PHILADELPHIA 4-25 (.160), K KORVER 1-12, A IVERSON 0-3, A IGUODALA 1-
3, A MCKIE 0-1, W GREEN 1-3, J DAVIS 1-3.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, TOM WASHINGTON, ZAK ZARBA.
A - 16,393. T - 2:01.

Game Story

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Eddie Griffin's homecoming was a lot 
better than that of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Griffin drained six 3-pointers and scored 20 of his career-high
27 points in the first half as the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled
to a 119-84 victory over the lethargic 76ers, who have lost six
straight games.

A Philadelphia native who attended Roman Catholic High School,
Griffin was signed as a free agent by the Timberwolves after a
troubled start to his career in Houston.  He missed all of last
season due to off-court issues that included an assault on a
woman and was cut by two teams.

"I've just been trying to stay focused and positive all season,"
Griffin said. "I've been doing a lot of extra shooting.  The
veterans have been a big help.  They've let me know what to do
on and off the court."

"The guy has been through a lot the last couple of years and
it's great to see him to come out and have a great game like he
did tonight," Timberwolves superstar forward Kevin Garnett said.
"It's great to be in a nice flow and rhythm, to be part of a
system that really enjoys him.  To have our guys truly care
about him, that's rare."

The rejuvenated Griffin has worked his way into Minnesota's
rotation and is providing 9.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game
as a reserve.

"I made a decision as a coach that when we got Eddie that we
would give him enough responsibility that he would keep on
improving," coach Flip Saunders said. "We didn't want to
overload him, we didn't want to put too much pressure from the
standpoint of being a starter. We let him know that when he goes
in there, he has the ability of playing pretty loose."

In his hometown, Griffin was the best player on the court in the
decisive first half.  He came on midway through the first
quarter and sank two 3-pointers, helping the Wolves to a 31-26
lead.

He put on a blistering performance in the second quarter,
draining four more 3-pointers as he repeatedly found openings in
the double-teaming defense of the Sixers.

"They went to double on KG and that left me open," Griffin said.
"Sam (Cassell) and Troy Hudson were able to find me."

In the best game of his career in front of a handful of friends
and family, Griffin made 9-of-21 shots and added 11 rebounds and
four assists.

"It meant a lot," Griffin said. "A lot of my family were here.
I left about 25 tickets. They were able to see me play a good
game."

The Wolves held a 61-48 halftime advantage and led by double
digits for all but 63 seconds thereafter as the Sixers heard
boos throughout the second half.  Minnesota opened a 37-point
bulge in the fourth quarter.

Latrell Sprewell returned from his one-game suspension to score
24 points and Kevin Garnett added 19, eight rebounds and seven
assists in just three quarters for the Wolves, who held a 51-37
advantage on the glass and got back on track after Tuesday's
home loss to Dallas. Minnesota has won six of its last seven
games.

The Sixers are helping plenty of teams get back on track.
Returning from a winless five-game road trip, they suffered
their worst loss in their eight years in the Wachovia Center and
are mired in their worst slide since also losing six in a row
in January 2003.

"As Truman said, it stops right here," said coach Jim O'Brien,
pointing to himself. "We have the personnel to be a lot better
that we've shown over the last week and a half.  We have the
personnel within the Atlantic Division to get into the playoffs,
but we are not playing up to our capabilities."

Allen Iverson made 2-of-13 shots and Kyle Korver 2-of-14,
including 1-of-12 from the arc. Philadelphia made 4-of-25
3-pointers while Minnesota made 15-of-34.

"I wish I could put my finger on one thing," said Iverson, who
scored 14 points.  "There are a lot of things wrong right now.
We're just not playing well.  We are not playing well as a team
and our individual games are not that great as well.  Our
communication is not there, like it should be."