Box Score

 

MINNESOTA (91)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
L Sprewell          39 11-24   3-4   4-6   2   0   27
K Garnett           39  7-16   3-4  2-12   5   2   17
E Johnson           10   1-2   1-1   1-4   0   2    3
T Hassell           33  3-10   2-2   3-7   3   2    8
T Hudson            25   2-5   0-0   0-0   4   2    4
W Szczerbiak        33  5-10   1-1   1-5   5   2   12
S Cassell           21   2-8   2-2   1-3   4   1    6
J Thomas            10   1-3   0-0   0-0   1   5    2
F Hoiberg           24   4-5   1-1   0-1   1   1   11
M Madsen             4   0-1   0-0   0-0   2   2    0
A Carter             2   0-0   1-2   0-0   0   0    1
M Olowokandi       DNP  - SPRAINED MCL IN RIGHT KNE                      
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-84 14-17 12-38  27  19   91
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.429, FT-.824. 3-Point Goals:
5-14, .357 (L Sprewell 2-8, T Hudson 0-1, W 
Szczerbiak 1-2, F Hoiberg 2-3). Team 
Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:3 (E Johnson, K 
Garnett, T Hudson). Turnovers:7 (W Szczerbiak
3, K Garnett 2, L Sprewell, T Hudson). 
Steals: 8 (W Szczerbiak 3, L Sprewell 2, K 
Garnett 2, S Cassell).


PORTLAND (83)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
R Patterson         30   4-9   2-2   4-8   0   1   10
Z Randolph          30  7-14   3-4   4-9   0   5   17
J Przybilla         10   2-3   0-0   0-3   1   1    4
D Stoudamire        39  3-14   1-3   1-5   5   3    7
N Van Exel          44  8-18   3-3   0-4   8   1   26
D Miles             21   4-4   0-0   1-3   1   3    8
S Telfair           12   0-5   1-2   0-1   3   1    1
S Abdur-Rahim       23   2-6   6-6   0-2   1   2   10
T Ratliff           30   0-1   0-0  3-11   0   4    0
R Frahm              1   0-1   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
T Outlaw           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
V Khryapa          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 30-75 16-20 13-46  19  21   83
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.400, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals:
7-19, .368 (R Patterson 0-1, D Stoudamire 
0-3, N Van Exel 7-11, S Telfair 0-3, R Frahm 
0-1). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:6 (T 
Ratliff 3, S Abdur-Rahim, R Patterson, Z 
Randolph). Turnovers:16 (D Miles 5, R 
Patterson 4, N Van Exel 3, Z Randolph 2, D 
Stoudamire, S Telfair). Steals: 3 (N Van 
Exel, R Patterson, D Miles).

-------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA             24  32  18  17  -   91
PORTLAND              22  26  21  14  -   83
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Minnesota - 1 (E Johnson, 
6:49 1st). Portland - 1 (R Patterson, 3:55 
2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,068. T: 2:06. 
Officials: Mark Ayotte, Michael Smith, Steve 
Javie.

Extended Box

 

MINNESOTA (91) AT PORTLAND (83)

MINNESOTA

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
L SPREWELL        F    39   11-24     3-4      4   2   6    2   0   2   1   27
K GARNETT         F    39    7-16     3-4      2  10  12    5   2   2   2   17
E JOHNSON         C    10    1-2      1-1      1   3   4    0   2   0   0    3
T HASSELL         G    33    3-10     2-2      3   4   7    3   2   0   0    8
T HUDSON          G    25    2-5      0-0      0   0   0    4   2   0   1    4
W SZCZERBIAK           33    5-10     1-1      1   4   5    5   2   3   3   12
S CASSELL              21    2-8      2-2      1   2   3    4   1   1   0    6
J THOMAS               10    1-3      0-0      0   0   0    1   5   0   0    2
F HOIBERG              24    4-5      1-1      0   1   1    1   1   0   0   11
M MADSEN                4    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    2   2   0   0    0
A CARTER                2    0-0      1-2      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    1
M OLOWOKANDI          DNP  - SPRAINED MCL IN RIGHT KNE                                
  
TOTALS                240   36-84    14-17    12  26  38   27  19   8   7   91
                            (.429)  (.824)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 7 (9 PTS)      

PORTLAND

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
R PATTERSON       F    30    4-9      2-2      4   4   8    0   1   1   4   10
Z RANDOLPH        F    30    7-14     3-4      4   5   9    0   5   0   2   17
J PRZYBILLA       C    10    2-3      0-0      0   3   3    1   1   0   0    4
D STOUDAMIRE      G    39    3-14     1-3      1   4   5    5   3   0   1    7
N VAN EXEL        G    44    8-18     3-3      0   4   4    8   1   1   3   26
D MILES                21    4-4      0-0      1   2   3    1   3   1   5    8
S TELFAIR              12    0-5      1-2      0   1   1    3   1   0   1    1
S ABDUR-RAHIM          23    2-6      6-6      0   2   2    1   2   0   0   10
T RATLIFF              30    0-1      0-0      3   8  11    0   4   0   0    0
R FRAHM                 1    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
T OUTLAW              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
V KHRYAPA             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   30-75    16-20    13  33  46   19  21   3  16   83
                            (.400)  (.800)  TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 18 (10 PTS)    
  
   MINNESOTA          24   32   18   17   -   91
   PORTLAND           22   26   21   14   -   83
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - E JOHNSON, K GARNETT, T HUDSON.  PORTLAND -
T RATLIFF 3, S ABDUR-RAHIM, R PATTERSON, Z RANDOLPH.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 5-14 (.357), L SPREWELL 2-8, T HUDSON 0-
1, W SZCZERBIAK 1-2, F HOIBERG 2-3. PORTLAND 7-19 (.368), R PATTERSON 0-
1, D STOUDAMIRE 0-3, N VAN EXEL 7-11, S TELFAIR 0-3, R FRAHM 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: MINNESOTA - E JOHNSON. PORTLAND - R PATTERSON.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: MARK AYOTTE, MICHAEL SMITH, STEVE JAVIE.
A - 17,068. T - 2:06.

Game Story

PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) -- Latrell Sprewell did not allow 
the Minnesota Timberwolves to blow another big second-half lead.

Sprewell scored 27 points and hit a clutch 3-pointer with just
over a minute remaining as the Timberwolves snapped a five-game
road losing streak with a 91-83 victory over the Portland Trail
Blazers.

With the win, Minnesota (28-29) moved within 1 1/2 games of the
Los Angeles Lakers, who lost earlier Sunday to the Toronto
Raptors, for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western
Conference.

"It was a big win," Sprewell said. "We knew the Lakers lost
today and we're chasing the eighth spot.  We're just trying to
get in the playoffs at this point so every game is big."

On Friday, Minnesota held a 14-point lead midway through the
third quarter but shot just 39 percent in the final period in a
98-88 road loss to the Seattle SuperSonics.

It was nearly a repeat performance in this one.

Sprewell had six points and an assist as the Timberwolves opened
the second half with a 9-3 spurt to take a 65-51 lead with 8:22
on the clock.

But Portland bridged the third and fourth quarters with an 11-0
run, capped by Nick Van Exel's 3-pointer that evened the score,
74-74, two minutes into the final period.

Kevin Garnett hit a jumper and Fred Hoiberg added a 3-pointer to
push the Wolves' lead back to five three minutes later.  The
Trail Blazers responded with a 7-2 spurt, capped by Ruben
Patterson's layup with 1:37 remaining to forge an 83-83 tie.

Minnesota's Sam Cassell missed a jumper at the other end, but
Sprewell recorded one of his six rebounds and nailed a 3-pointer
to give Minnesota the lead for good with 66 seconds to play.

"Spree was huge," said Minnesota interim coach Kevin McHale, who
improved to 3-3 since taking over for Flip Saunders. "We've put
in a lot of stuff lately and he's picked it up very fast.  He
has a very high basketball IQ.  He's out there showing guys what
to do."

Cassell stole the ball from Van Exel on the ensuing possession
and Wally Szczerbiak sealed the victory with a shot from the arc
with 36 seconds to go.

"I think Wally's was a little bit bigger," Sprewell said. "That
put us up six and pretty much put the game out of reach.  It was
nice to get two threes down the stretch."

"Obviously, it was big," Szczerbiak said. "Thirty seconds left,
you get a six-point lead, that's pretty much the nail in the
coffin."

McHale said that he was happy that his team learned from their
previous collapse.

"It was nice to see us maintain a little more composure there at
the end," McHale said.

Sprewell, on the other hand, said that the loss in Seattle did
not enter his mind down the stretch.

"It was a totally different game and you're not really thinking
about what happened in Seattle," Sprewell said. "You just have
to concentrate on what you're doing tonight and find a way to
win that game.  Previous games don't really come to mind when
you're out there on the court."

Garnett had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota, which swept
the season series from Portland for the first time in team
history.

"You have to come with a high level every night and we seemed to
bring that high level against them this year," Szczerbiak said.

Van Exel scored 26 points and Zach Randolph added 17 for the
Blazers, who have lost six of their last eight games.

"We lost.  We had a chance, (but it was the) same old story,"
said Van Exel, who nailed his first five three-pointers and
connected on 7-of-11 overall from the arc. "We didn't do the
things we needed to do to win the game.  We came up with the
short end of the stick basically."

After opening a 16-10 lead, Portland committed six of its 16
turnovers as Minnesota went on a 9-0 run to take a 19-16 lead on
a layup by Garnett with 1:21 to play in the first quarter.

The Blazers continued their sluggish play in the second, and
Sprewell closed the half with a 3-pointer to give Minnesota a
56-48 lead at intermission.

"That was one of the few times this season that we came not
ready to play," Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks said.  "It was a
real disappointment.  I can't really explain it.  We picked up
our energy later on, but our focus was not on the beginning of
the game."