Box Score

 

SAN ANTONIO (73)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
B Bowen             26   3-8   1-2   1-4   0   2    7
T Duncan            23   1-8   1-2   1-6   3   1    3
N Mohammed          24   4-7   2-2   3-8   0   2   10
E Ginobili          22   1-3   0-2   0-4   2   0    3
T Parker            22   2-7   3-3   0-1   2   1    8
G Robinson          27  6-13   4-5   1-3   3   1   16
R Horry              8   0-1   0-0   0-1   1   0    0
B Udrih             23  5-12   3-4   0-0   1   0   15
S Marks             24   1-3   0-0   1-5   2   0    2
M Wilks             21   3-7   0-0   0-2   3   0    8
T Massenburg        20   0-4   1-2   1-5   0   6    1
B Barry            DNP  - LEFT QUAD CONTUSION                            
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 26-73 15-22  8-39  17  13   73
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.356, FT-.682. 3-Point Goals:
6-14, .429 (E Ginobili 1-1, T Parker 1-2, G 
Robinson 0-1, B Udrih 2-7, S Marks 0-1, M 
Wilks 2-2). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked Shots:6
(N Mohammed 3, T Duncan 2, S Marks). 
Turnovers:14 (B Udrih 3, B Bowen 2, T Duncan 
2, T Parker 2, T Massenburg, M Wilks, E 
Ginobili, N Mohammed, G Robinson). Steals: 7 
(M Wilks 3, T Massenburg 2, G Robinson, E 
Ginobili).


MINNESOTA (95)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
L Sprewell          20   2-4   0-0   0-3   0   2    4
K Garnett           29  6-17   3-3  4-11   5   2   15
M Olowokandi        27  5-11   0-0  6-14   1   4   10
T Hassell           27  8-16   3-3   3-4   2   1   19
S Cassell           22   0-7   0-0   1-3   4   3    0
A Carter            26  6-11   1-1   2-3   2   0   13
W Szczerbiak        21   2-6   0-0   0-2   5   0    6
N Ebi               28  8-14   2-3   2-8   0   5   18
J Thomas            19   2-4   4-4   1-5   0   0    8
E Griffin           21   0-3   2-2   0-5   1   0    2
E Johnson          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
F Hoiberg          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 39-93 15-16 19-58  20  17   95
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.419, FT-.938. 3-Point Goals:
2-7, .286 (S Cassell 0-1, A Carter 0-1, W 
Szczerbiak 2-2, N Ebi 0-1, E Griffin 0-2). 
Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots:8 (K Garnett 
3, J Thomas, M Olowokandi, A Carter, T 
Hassell, E Griffin). Turnovers:11 (T Hassell 
3, K Garnett 2, A Carter 2, E Griffin 2, M 
Olowokandi, N Ebi). Steals: 9 (S Cassell 2, K
Garnett 2, A Carter 2, L Sprewell, M 
Olowokandi, T Hassell).

-------------------------------------------
SAN ANTONIO           15  21  21  16  -   73
MINNESOTA             19  25  31  20  -   95
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,122. T: 1:57. 
Officials: Dan Crawford, Kevin Fehr, Sean 
Corbin.

Extended Box

 

SAN ANTONIO (73) AT MINNESOTA (95)

SAN ANTONIO

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
B BOWEN           F    26    3-8      1-2      1   3   4    0   2   0   2    7
T DUNCAN          F    23    1-8      1-2      1   5   6    3   1   0   2    3
N MOHAMMED        C    24    4-7      2-2      3   5   8    0   2   0   1   10
E GINOBILI        G    22    1-3      0-2      0   4   4    2   0   1   1    3
T PARKER          G    22    2-7      3-3      0   1   1    2   1   0   2    8
G ROBINSON             27    6-13     4-5      1   2   3    3   1   1   1   16
R HORRY                 8    0-1      0-0      0   1   1    1   0   0   0    0
B UDRIH                23    5-12     3-4      0   0   0    1   0   0   3   15
S MARKS                24    1-3      0-0      1   4   5    2   0   0   0    2
M WILKS                21    3-7      0-0      0   2   2    3   0   3   1    8
T MASSENBURG           20    0-4      1-2      1   4   5    0   6   2   1    1
B BARRY               DNP  - LEFT QUAD CONTUSION                                      
  
TOTALS                240   26-73    15-22     8  31  39   17  13   7  14   73
                            (.356)  (.682)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 14 (21 PTS)    

MINNESOTA

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
L SPREWELL        F    20    2-4      0-0      0   3   3    0   2   1   0    4
K GARNETT         F    29    6-17     3-3      4   7  11    5   2   2   2   15
M OLOWOKANDI      C    27    5-11     0-0      6   8  14    1   4   1   1   10
T HASSELL         G    27    8-16     3-3      3   1   4    2   1   1   3   19
S CASSELL         G    22    0-7      0-0      1   2   3    4   3   2   0    0
A CARTER               26    6-11     1-1      2   1   3    2   0   2   2   13
W SZCZERBIAK           21    2-6      0-0      0   2   2    5   0   0   0    6
N EBI                  28    8-14     2-3      2   6   8    0   5   0   1   18
J THOMAS               19    2-4      4-4      1   4   5    0   0   0   0    8
E GRIFFIN              21    0-3      2-2      0   5   5    1   0   0   2    2
E JOHNSON             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
F HOIBERG             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   39-93    15-16    19  39  58   20  17   9  11   95
                            (.419)  (.938)  TEAM REBS:  5 TOTAL TO: 11 (7 PTS)     
  
   SAN ANTONIO        15   21   21   16   -   73
   MINNESOTA          19   25   31   20   -   95
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: SAN ANTONIO - N MOHAMMED 3, T DUNCAN 2, S MARKS.  MINNESOTA -
K GARNETT 3, J THOMAS, M OLOWOKANDI, A CARTER, T HASSELL, E GRIFFIN.

3-PT. FIELD GOALS: SAN ANTONIO 6-14 (.429), E GINOBILI 1-1, T PARKER 1-
2, G ROBINSON 0-1, B UDRIH 2-7, S MARKS 0-1, M WILKS 2-2. MINNESOTA 2-
7 (.286), S CASSELL 0-1, A CARTER 0-1, W SZCZERBIAK 2-2, N EBI 0-1,
E GRIFFIN 0-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DAN CRAWFORD, KEVIN FEHR, SEAN CORBIN.
A - 18,122. T - 1:57.

Game Story

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Kevin Garnett was just a kid the last 
time he watched the playoffs from home.  He can relive his past
beginning this weekend.

Garnett scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the
Minnesota Timberwolves finish an otherwise disappointing season
with an easy 95-73 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

The victory was the 11th in the final 15 games for Minnesota but
not enough for the club to avoid missing the playoffs for the
first time in nine seasons.

"Knowing how competitive (Garnett) is, I know it kills him not
being in the playoffs," said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who
scored just three points in 23 minutes.  "He pours his heart and
soul into his team and into every game that he plays."

The Timberwolves' fate was sealed with a loss to Seattle on
Sunday, bringing them from the brink of the NBA Finals a year
ago to an early exit this season.

Minnesota was the top seed in the Western Conference in 2004 but
lost in six games in the conference finals to the Los Angeles
Lakers.

"This is extremely difficult," Minnesota guard Fred Hoiberg
said. "Especially compared to last year, going to the conference
finals and seeing how that energized the team and the city."

A seven-time All-Star and the reigning NBA MVP, Garnett was a
19-year-old rookie the last time the Timberwolves failed to make
the postseason.  While he showcased his remarkable skills in
another fine campaign, his teammates often looked old, tired and
unmotivated.

Garnett expressed his frustration with his team's play on more
than one occasion but had nothing to say after this win, leaving
the Target Center without speaking to reporters.

His club did show a sense of desperation down the stretch and
gave its fans a glimmer of hope for next season by taking care
of the Spurs, who gave their bench big minutes in preparation
for the playoffs beginning Sunday.

Once considered a potential preview of the Western Conference
finals, this game became insignificant.

"It's mind-boggling (what happened here in Minnesota)," San
Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sometimes things just don't
work out.  We've probably all, as coaches or players, been
there.  You don't judge it.  You just know that it can happen.
Thankfully it doesn't happen that often.

"I'm sure the Minnesota group will use it as fuel.  They're
smart, they're competitive.  OK, so it didn't work this year.
But they'll find a way to use it as fuel and come back with a
vengeance."

Trenton Hassell scored 19 points and Ndudi Ebi added a
career-high 18 in just his second game this season for the
Timberwolves.  Ebi, a 2003 first-round pick, spent the first 80
games on the injured list.

"It was fun seeing the kid (Ebi) out there, working hard and
having fun," Minnesota forward Wally Szczerbiak said. "We were
all cheering for him.  I know that he will be really energized
to come in here next year and do well."

San Antonio finished one victory shy of the third 60-win season
in franchise history.  It opens a best-of-seven series Sunday at
home against Denver.

Glenn Robinson scored 16 points and rookie Beno Udrih added 15
for the Spurs, who lost three of their last four games.

Robinson was signed April 4 and may be relied on for scoring
punch against the high-powered Nuggets.

"(Robinson) has been a great pickup," Duncan said.  "He has come
out aggressively.  He's very offensive-minded and he adds
another weapon to our scoring arsenal."