Box Score

 

MINNESOTA (73)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
L Sprewell          37  7-18   7-7   4-8   1   2   21
K Garnett           33  5-15   2-4  2-11   0   2   12
M Olowokandi        25   1-3   0-0   0-1   0   4    2
T Hudson            25   1-3   0-0   0-0   4   2    2
T Hassell           27   2-5   2-2   1-3   1   1    6
W Szczerbiak        28  7-11   6-7   1-6   3   3   20
E Griffin           24   1-7   0-0  3-11   0   4    2
F Hoiberg           18   1-1   0-0   0-3   0   0    3
S Cassell           11   1-5   0-0   0-1   2   0    2
A Carter            12   1-1   1-2   0-0   3   1    3
J Thomas           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
M Madsen           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 27-69 18-22 11-44  14  19   73
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.391, FT-.818. 3-Point Goals:
1-8, .125 (L Sprewell 0-2, W Szczerbiak 0-2, 
E Griffin 0-1, F Hoiberg 1-1, S Cassell 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked Shots:6 (K Garnett 
2, M Olowokandi 2, E Griffin 2). Turnovers:19
(W Szczerbiak 6, T Hudson 4, K Garnett 3, M 
Olowokandi 3, L Sprewell 2, A Carter). 
Steals: 8 (F Hoiberg 2, M Olowokandi 2, L 
Sprewell, A Carter, K Garnett, T Hudson).


SAN ANTONIO (89)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
B Bowen             39   2-8   2-3   2-5   1   1    6
T Duncan            35 10-21   5-8  5-14   6   2   25
R Nesterovic        15   2-2   0-0   3-5   0   4    4
T Parker            37  5-15   0-1   1-4   6   4   11
B Barry             40  5-12   0-0   0-2   6   2   11
N Mohammed          11   0-4   2-2   1-3   0   3    2
D Brown             29   3-4   0-0   0-4   2   0    7
B Udrih             10   1-3   1-2   0-1   0   2    3
R Horry             21  7-12   0-0   0-2   0   1   18
M Wilks              3   1-1   0-0   0-0   0   0    2
T Massenburg       DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
E Ginobili         DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT GROIN                           
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-82 10-16 12-40  21  19   89
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.439, FT-.625. 3-Point Goals:
7-14, .500 (T Parker 1-2, B Barry 1-5, D 
Brown 1-1, B Udrih 0-1, R Horry 4-5). Team 
Rebounds: 7. Blocked Shots:8 (T Duncan 5, R 
Horry, R Nesterovic, B Udrih). Turnovers:8 (T
Parker 3, B Barry 2, R Horry, M Wilks, T 
Duncan). Steals: 8 (R Horry 2, T Parker 2, B 
Barry, D Brown, T Duncan, R Nesterovic).

-------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA             18  21  18  16  -   73
SAN ANTONIO           32  19  22  16  -   89
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Minnesota - 1 (W Szczerbiak,
0:55 3rd). San Antonio - 1 (B Bowen, 0:55 
3rd).
Flagrant fouls: San Antonio 1 (N Mohammed, 
1:12 4th). A: 18,797. T: 2:17. Officials: 
Jess Kersey, Mike Callahan, Zak Zarba.

Extended Box

 

MINNESOTA (73) AT SAN ANTONIO (89)

MINNESOTA

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
L SPREWELL        F    37    7-18     7-7      4   4   8    1   2   1   2   21
K GARNETT         F    33    5-15     2-4      2   9  11    0   2   1   3   12
M OLOWOKANDI      C    25    1-3      0-0      0   1   1    0   4   2   3    2
T HUDSON          G    25    1-3      0-0      0   0   0    4   2   1   4    2
T HASSELL         G    27    2-5      2-2      1   2   3    1   1   0   0    6
W SZCZERBIAK           28    7-11     6-7      1   5   6    3   3   0   6   20
E GRIFFIN              24    1-7      0-0      3   8  11    0   4   0   0    2
F HOIBERG              18    1-1      0-0      0   3   3    0   0   2   0    3
S CASSELL              11    1-5      0-0      0   1   1    2   0   0   0    2
A CARTER               12    1-1      1-2      0   0   0    3   1   1   1    3
J THOMAS              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
M MADSEN              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   27-69    18-22    11  33  44   14  19   8  19   73
                            (.391)  (.818)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 20 (10 PTS)    

SAN ANTONIO

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
B BOWEN           F    39    2-8      2-3      2   3   5    1   1   0   0    6
T DUNCAN          F    35   10-21     5-8      5   9  14    6   2   1   1   25
R NESTEROVIC      C    15    2-2      0-0      3   2   5    0   4   1   0    4
T PARKER          G    37    5-15     0-1      1   3   4    6   4   2   3   11
B BARRY           G    40    5-12     0-0      0   2   2    6   2   1   2   11
N MOHAMMED             11    0-4      2-2      1   2   3    0   3   0   0    2
D BROWN                29    3-4      0-0      0   4   4    2   0   1   0    7
B UDRIH                10    1-3      1-2      0   1   1    0   2   0   0    3
R HORRY                21    7-12     0-0      0   2   2    0   1   2   1   18
M WILKS                 3    1-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   1    2
T MASSENBURG          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
E GINOBILI            DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT GROIN                                     
  
TOTALS                240   36-82    10-16    12  28  40   21  19   8   8   89
                            (.439)  (.625)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 8 (6 PTS)      
  
   MINNESOTA          18   21   18   16   -   73
   SAN ANTONIO        32   19   22   16   -   89
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - K GARNETT 2, M OLOWOKANDI 2, E GRIFFIN 2.
SAN ANTONIO - T DUNCAN 5, R HORRY, R NESTEROVIC, B UDRIH.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 1-8 (.125), L SPREWELL 0-2, W SZCZERBIAK 0-
2, E GRIFFIN 0-1, F HOIBERG 1-1, S CASSELL 0-2. SAN ANTONIO 7-14 (.
500), T PARKER 1-2, B BARRY 1-5, D BROWN 1-1, B UDRIH 0-1, R HORRY 4-
5.
TECHNICAL FOULS: MINNESOTA - W SZCZERBIAK. SAN ANTONIO - B BOWEN.
FLAGRANT FOULS: SAN ANTONIO 1 (N MOHAMMED, 1:12 4TH).
OFFICIALS: JESS KERSEY, MIKE CALLAHAN, ZAK ZARBA.
A - 18,797. T - 2:17.

Game Story

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- With Manu Ginobili again on the 
sidelines, Robert Horry provided all the energy the San Antonio
Spurs needed.

Horry scored a season-high 18 points off the bench to lead the
Spurs to a relatively easy 89-73 victory over the Minnesota
Timberwolves.

Ginobili, San Antonio's All-Star guard, sat out his third
straight game with a groin injury. He normally lifts the Spurs
with his endless energy but may not return until Sunday's game
at Detroit.

The Spurs lost two of three games without Ginobili and needed a
spark from someone against the Timberwolves, who were coming off
Tuesday's win at Dallas and trying to stay in the Western
Conference playoff race.

Horry came on five minutes into the contest and scored seven
points in a huge first quarter. San Antonio shot 70 percent
(14-of-20) from the field and opened a 32-18 lead after one
period.

"It felt pretty good tonight.  I wanted to keep shooting it and
I was hoping it would keep falling," Horry said.  "It's like
every other game - sometimes you have a rhythm and sometimes you
won't.  I am starting to find my rhythm right now.  It is
easier to find a rhythm with the schedule the way it is like
this - one game on, one day off."

Minnesota made a move, closing to 38-33 on a jumper by Wally
Szczerbiak with 5:08 left in the second quarter.  Horry answered
with a 3-pointer to trigger a 9-2 burst that San Antonio
parlayed into a 51-39 halftime lead.

Horry sank two more 3-pointers in the third quarter to push the
lead to 72-55 with 2:23 left.  In all, the 13-year veteran made
7-of-12 shots, including 4-of-5 from the arc.

Averaging just 5.0 points per game, Horry shattered his previous
season high of 13 vs. Toronto on March 2.  Known for his clutch
shooting in big games, Horry is averaging 10.7 points in seven
games this month.

"Rob just messed around the whole season until he is ready to
play.  He thought tonight was a playoff type of game," teammate
Tim Duncan said.  "He said 'I'll play, I'm ready to play.' It
was just about him and when he wants to play."

Duncan had 25 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and five blocks
for the Spurs, who never trailed and committed just eight
turnovers as they improved to 30-3 at home.

"Three things we wanted to focus on this game - good D, not
fouling the shooters and no turnovers," Horry said. "Lately we
have been fouling the shooters and committing turnovers. We are
getting ready for the homestretch."

"It's a good win for us," Duncan said. "I can't wait to get
everyone back and healthy on the floor and start getting the
rhythm with everyone here.  We are piece-mealing it together,
getting a lot of guys playing time and getting their confidence
up.  All in all, we are playing really well."

In a matchup of the last two NBA MVPs, Duncan thoroughly
outplayed Minnesota's Kevin Garnett, who had 12 points and 11
boards.  Garnett made just 5-of-15 shots and did not have an
assist.

"Coming off a back-to-back is always tough.  We got up on them
early and it took a lot out of (Garnett) tonight," Duncan said.
"It's kind of how the game goes.  All in all, I thought we did
a good job on him tonight. "

"This game shows us on the radar just where we are right now,"
Garnett said.  "The Spurs are the best team in the league.
Offensively, they move the ball and play together, and
defensively they do the same kind of things.  You can't spot the
best team in the league that much - 32-18 - then to come out in
the third the way we did, you can't win like that."

Latrell Sprewell scored 21 points and Szczerbiak added 20 off
the bench for the Wolves (33-33), who fell three games behind
Denver in their pursuit of the final playoff berth in the West.
Minnesota has not missed the postseason since 1996.

"Tonight we didn't even belong on the same court as the Spurs,"
Szczerbiak said. "They gave us a good old fashioned
butt-whooping.  Now we know what it takes to be the best in the
West like last year."

Tony Parker and Brent Barry each had 11 points and six assists
for San Antonio (49-15), which moved one-half game ahead of
Phoenix in the race for the NBA's best record.

"It was a big win for us, a lot of people participated," San
Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.  "Tim set a good tone for us,
he and Bruce (Bowen) defensively.  We moved the ball well.  We
had really good team defense."