Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Basketball News and sports betting analysis
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Timberwolves-Heat | 2nd January 2006, 16:23 |
| Heat 97, Timberwolves 70 By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer MIAMI (AP) - Shaquille O'Neal couldn't specifically say why the Miami Heat changed their defensive ways. He wasn't being coy, either. ``If I said what I heard, it'd all be whistles,'' O'Neal said, referring to coach Pat Riley's halftime remarks. ``It'd all be bleeps.'' Whatever Riley said at halftime certainly worked. The Heat held Minnesota to 23.5 percent shooting over the final two quarters and beat the slumping Timberwolves 97-70 on Sunday night. Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, O'Neal had 16 and Alonzo Mourning had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which allowed a season low in points, set a season high for margin of victory and held the Timberwolves to their lowest total this year. ``We had a decent second quarter and the third quarter was probably the best defense, the most intense and correct defense that we have played probably this year,'' said Riley, whose team outscored Minnesota 56-26 in the second half. ``The mentality was entirely different. I thought that just sort of propelled us.'' James Posey had 11 points and Gary Payton added 10 for the Heat (19-13), who moved a season-high six games over .500. Wally Szczerbiak scored 19 points, Rashad McCants added 13 and Kevin Garnett matched a season low with 11 for Minnesota (14-14), which is 2-8 in its last 10 games but remains atop the Northwest Division. ``We're a big question mark,'' Garnett said. ``We have no real identity at this point. We show glimpses of being very, very good defensively. ... But I don't think you can stamp us as a defensive team or stamp us as a team with an identity right now.'' Miami outscored Minnesota 25-6 in the opening 7:30 of the third quarter, turning a three-point halftime deficit into a 66-50 lead. Wade had nine points in the run - eclipsing the six he managed in the entire first half - and O'Neal added six, including the first two baskets of the second half. ``The second half, obviously, was like night and day,'' Riley said. The Heat hit 10 of their first 15 shots in the third quarter while forcing the Timberwolves, who dropped their fourth straight road game, into missing eight of their first 10 tries. Miami outscored Minnesota 32-15 in the third, matching the Heat's largest one-quarter margin of the season. Minnesota was 9-for-13 in the first 7:13 of the game; the Timberwolves were 9-for-40 over the next 27 minutes. ``We hit a wall,'' Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey said. ``We hit a freight train in the third quarter. Offensively we couldn't execute, we couldn't shoot and we couldn't score. ... They turned the heat up and we didn't respond.'' Miami missed eight straight shots midway through the opening half, and trailed 33-24 after Michael Olowokandi's dunk with 6:02 left. The Heat got within 44-41 at halftime, getting a boost by Jason Williams and Posey combining to connect three times from 3-point range in the final 2:58. Szczerbiak, who averaged 24.9 points in December, had 12 points in the first half. He missed eight of his first 10 shots, then connected on his final three of the half - including a 3-pointer with 1:19 remaining that pushed Minnesota's lead back to six and negated a 3-pointer that Williams hit 35 seconds earlier. But Miami's run to close the half was merely a harbinger of what awaited Minnesota after halftime, when the Heat took control with the big third-quarter burst. ``We're building,'' Posey said. ``Like I said, we're sure we can get it done. We just have to have the mindset to be consistent with it.'' Notes: Before the game, the Heat announced Riley signed a contract extension. The team didn't announce terms of the deal, including length and if it addressed Riley's role as coach or president - or both. ... Minnesota, which is next-to-last in the league in free throws attempted, didn't shoot any in the opening 13:12. ... Udonis Haslem hit two jump shots for Miami in the first 2:57, and the Heat didn't score again from the outside for the next 17:21, until another jumper by Haslem, the team's starting power forward. ... Olowokandi had missed the previous three games with right elbow bursitis. ... Minnesota is 0-11 when being outshot from the field. ... Szczerbiak's streak of 10 straight 20-point games ended. ... Miami opens a seven-game road trip in Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Minnesota Timberwolves - Miami Heat Goals Total 1 2 3 OT Shootout Minnesota Timberwolves 70 Miami Heat 97 |
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Timberwolves-Mavericks | 19th December 2005, 21:20 |
| Mavericks 102, Timberwolves 95 With the Minnesota Timberwolves sending most of their players after offensive rebounds, the Dallas Mavericks decided to send most of their guys the other direction. It worked - for Dallas, that is - as Devin Harris and Josh Howard led a series of fast breaks early in the fourth quarter that sent the Mavericks rolling past the Timberwolves 102-95 on Sunday night for their eighth win in nine games. Coach Avery Johnson is trying to change Dallas' identity from a scoring machine to a team that wins with defense. In practice Saturday, he stressed how defensive stands can turn into easy baskets. Once he saw the mismatch in strategies at the start of the fourth quarter, he reminded his players of what to do and they responded nicely. ``We just went out there and did what he wanted,'' said Howard, who scored seven of his 23 points in the final period. Harris had three of his six assists in the fourth quarter, including a handoff to Adrian Griffin for the layup that put the Mavs ahead for good. Harris also scored seven of his 14 points in the fourth, making all three of his shots to help Dallas go 11-of-16 for the quarter. ``Devin makes a lot of things happen for us,'' Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki said. ``He's a great finisher. He's going to be our point guard of the future. I like the way he's progressing.'' Nowitzki had 19 points, seven rebounds and a season-high four blocks as Dallas capped a long homestand by going 4-1, all against teams they were expected to beat. The Mavericks are a game behind division rival San Antonio for the best record in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves got 28 points from Wally Szczerbiak and Kevin Garnett added 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, but Minnesota still extended its longest losing streak of the season to four. The previous three losses were by a combined five points and this looked like it would be another tight one when the Timberwolves scored 32 points in the third quarter and tied it at 70 early in the fourth. The rally must have sapped them, though, as Dallas answered with an 11-3 run, then an 8-0 burst after Minnesota again got within four. Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey was mainly disappointed with the way his team started - missing its first four shots and shooting 6-of-19 in the first quarter. The Wolves scored only 16 points in the first quarter and 18 in the second to trail by nine at halftime. ``I thought Dallas took us to the woodshed, especially in the first half,'' Casey said. ``We didn't come out like we were on a three-game skid.'' Minnesota heads home for its next four games, starting Wednesday. This was the first of three games in 21 days featuring versatile big men Nowitzki and Garnett. They weren't matched up too often, but there was one memorable sequence in the second quarter. Nowitzki, fresh off a big defensive stand, was wide open for a 3-pointer on the left wing. Garnett raced at him, but Nowitzki got it off in time and managed to draw a foul. Nowitzki backed away pumping his fist after swishing the 3, then made the free throw for a rare four-point play. Dallas limited Garnett to 13 shots, only three in the fourth quarter. ``We have to have more distribution from other guys stepping up,'' Casey said. The game started horribly, with the teams combining to miss their first nine shots. The ninth was an airball by Minnesota's Michael Olowokandi on a possession that began with Casey screaming, ``Calm down.'' Szczerbiak came through with the first field goal, 2:37 into the game. It wasn't much better in the second quarter, with the Mavs starting 2-of-7 and the Wolves going 1-of-7. Minnesota shot 35 percent for the first half. The only consolation for the Timberwolves was that their 32 points at halftime topped the 29 they had the previous game. ``Horrible is the only word I have for it,'' Szczerbiak said. ``We have to come out aggressive and set the tone.'' Notes: Dallas took a 36-35 lead in the all-time series. ... Mavericks G Darrell Armstrong, an avid Washington Redskins fan, had some fun with the crowd in a pregame address. After wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season, he added, ``How 'bout them Redskins!'' Considering the Redskins had just beaten the Dallas Cowboys 35-7, there was a loud mixture of laughs and boos, even from German import Nowitzki. Johnson and Mavs owner Mark Cuban said Armstrong was fined $1,000 for the stunt. ... Minnesota G Richie Frahm (ankle) missed his third straight game. ... Dallas G Marquis Daniels (strained neck) missed his second straight game. Minnesota Timberwolves - Dallas Mavericks Goals Total 1 2 3 OT Shootout Minnesota Timberwolves 95 Dallas Mavericks 102 |
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Timberwolves-76ers | 14th December 2005, 18:56 |
| 76ers 90, Timberwolves 89, OT This game was vintage Chris Webber, maybe even better. Webber tormented Kevin Garnett defensively, dunked and drove like a spry, younger version of himself and powered his way to the basket on a night Allen Iverson never really got going. ``I'm up for the challenge,'' Webber said. ``I'm not by any means dead yet.'' Webber had 27 points and 21 rebounds, and Iverson added 19 points and 10 assists to help the Philadelphia 76ers win their third straight game, 90-89 in overtime over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. ``He was our best option in terms of putting the ball in his hands,'' coach Maurice Cheeks said. ``I thought his defense on Garnett was just excellent.'' After the Sixers wasted a 10-point lead in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter, Webber scored the go-ahead basket in overtime and made two key blocks on Garnett that denied the tying field goals. Webber nearly came up with a steal in the final seconds, but disrupted the ball enough that Minnesota got one last look on an inbounds pass with 0.4 seconds left. Szczerbiak tossed a pass to Garnett, his shot was off the mark and the Sixers escaped with a win they almost gave away. Webber went 13-for-25, his 18 defensive rebounds were a career best and he controlled the game much like he could when he was with Sacramento and regularly going up against the premier power forwards in the Western Conference. ``I was touching the ball in my comfort spots and that's all I ask is to get the ball in my comfort spots and be able to try and do something,'' Webber said. Wally Szczerbiak scored 23 points, Garnett had 19 and Marko Jaric added 14 points and 10 assists for the Wolves, who ended a five-game winning streak that had sent them to the top of the Northwest Division. ``We slowed down Iverson and (Kyle) Korver, but then Webber comes up and bites us,'' Wolves coach Dwane Casey said. Both teams lead their divisions, though with this win putting the Sixers at .500 (11-11), it's hard to imagine this game as a possible preview of the NBA Finals. Then again, wilder things have occurred like the creaky Webber leaving his feet on more than one shot, Korver scoring on a three-point play instead of 3-pointers and reserve Shavlik Randolph adding key baskets - all in a wild fourth quarter. Randolph had two big dunks - one off a rebound and another on a fast break - that pushed the Sixers' lead to 74-67 late in the fourth. He received a standing ovation from the minuscule crowd when he went back to the bench. Webber blew past Garnett - yes, blew past - for a baseline dunk that also earned him a technical for hanging on the rim. Szczerbiak hit the free throw, a seemingly minor play at the time that ended up being the difference in sending the game to overtime. And when Korver surprised everyone, including probably himself, by taking a bounce pass on the run and finishing with a rare dunk and three-point play, the Sixers went up 10. Then it all fell apart for the Sixers, who have a nasty habit of blowing big leads late this year. Only this time, they hung on to win. Richie Frahm and Szczerbiak each hit 3-pointers and Anthony Carter picked off a pass and went the length of the court for a basket, giving the Wolves an 85-83 lead with 40 seconds left. ``The did a good job on K.G.,'' Casey said. ``They kind of got him out of his rhythm. The small lineup got us back in the game.'' Webber tied it on a short hook with 23 seconds to go and Garnett missed the final shot to send the game into overtime. ``I want the opportunity to play that way every night,'' Webber said. ``I want to shoot that many shots or shoot them in those spots every night.'' Iverson came in averaging a league-high 34.4 points, but went 8-for-25 and had a season-low point total. The Sixers continued to get Korver more involved in the offense. After scoring 51 points the last two games, Korver's point total dipped to 13 against the Wolves, but his clutch outside shooting remained constant when he had the looks. He gave the Sixers a 62-60 lead with a 3-pointer late in the third quarter, and, after Garnett followed with a basket from the top of the key, Korver came right back down and hit another jumper to make it 64-62. Notes: Sixers C Michael Bradley was inactive after his back tightened on him during pregame warmups. ... Minnesota G Troy Hudson missed his third straight game with a strained calf. ... Webber had his ninth career 20-20 game. Minnesota Timberwolves - Philadelphia 76ers Goals Total 1 2 3 OT Shootout Minnesota Timberwolves 89 Philadelphia 76ers 90 |
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Timberwolves-Kings | 5th December 2005, 15:49 |
| Timberwolves 85, Kings 77 Wally Szczerbiak and Troy Hudson helped the Minnesota Timberwolves overcome Kevin Garnett's shooting problems. Szczerbiak scored 18 points and Hudson had 17 in the Timberwolves' 85-77 victory over the slumping Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. Garnett, 3-for-14 from the field, had a season-low 11 points and also finished with 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have won two straight and six of eight overall to take over first place in the Northwest Division. The Minnesota star made a 17-foot bank shot with 54.4 seconds left to extend his streak with double-digit scoring games to 261. ``It happens. Rhythm-wise I didn't have it going,'' Garnett said. ``I did other things to effect the game. Shooting-wise it was pretty tough on me.'' Minnesota won for the fifth straight time at Arco Arena, dating to March 5, 2003. The Timberwolves took control of the game for good with a 23-15 second quarter when they dominated on the boards and pestered Sacramento at the defensive end. ``It was a good grind-it-out game, a kind of game we needed to play through,'' Minnesota coach Dwane Casey said. ``We had to play through the frustration. We had a lot of turnovers and we talked about it at halftime.'' The Kings have lost three straight games and are an uncharacteristic 6-5 this season at home and 7-10 overall. ``Yeah, I'm embarrassed, I know we are better than what we're doing. I know that,'' said Kings guard Mike Bibby, who had 14 points. Michael Olowokandi added 13 points and Trenton Hassell had 10 for Minnesota, which maintained a double-digit lead through much of the second half. The Kings went through nearly a 9-minute stretch late in the second quarter and carrying over to the third when they scored just two points. Sacramento shot 42 percent and made just 12 of 20 free throws. The Kings never led after the opening minutes and elicited some rare boos from their loyal crowd. ``I think if there are any games the fan base or the community wanted to boo it was probably this one,'' Shareef Abdur-Rahim said after scoring a season-low six points. Kenny Thomas added 11 points, and Corliss Williamson and Peja Stojakovic had 10 each for Sacramento, which did not play its starters in the fourth quarter. Despite committing 14 turnovers and getting just four points from Garnett, the Timberwolves led 48-36 at the half. ``I know it looks glaring having 14 turnovers at half, but we're still up 12 points, so that means we're playing more aggressive than we were against the Lakers and Clippers,'' said Szczerbiak, who had a season-high nine rebounds. Notes: Getting 17 minutes as a reserve was a good 32nd birthday present of sorts for Williamson, who has not played in nine of 17 games this season. ... Szczerbiak was 7-of-8 from the field in the opening half and scored 14 points. ... The teams missed a combined 10 3-pointers before Hudson made one late in the third quarter. Minnesota Timberwolves - Sacramento Kings Goals Total 1 2 3 OT Shootout Minnesota Timberwolves 85 Sacramento Kings 77 |
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Final Result | 24th November 2005, 15:15 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves - New Orleans Hornets Goals Total 1 2 3 OT Shootout Minnesota Timberwolves 80 New Orleans Hornets 84 |
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Hornets 84, Timberwolves 80 | 24th November 2005, 15:15 |
| With Chris Paul pushing the tempo, the New Orleans Hornets punished the Minnesota Timberwolves and their zone defense. Attacking the basket, Paul scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half to rally the Hornets from a 12-point halftime deficit for an 84-80 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Paul pushed the tempo against Minnesota's zone after halftime and found scoring opportunities for himself and for David West, who had 12 points in the second half. West finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds. ``He makes plays,'' West said of Paul. ``He makes plays with his feet. He makes plays with the basketball in his hands, out of his hands. We feed off of his energy. The energy that he brings really gets us going.'' After the Hornets trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half, Paul hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 2:09 left to give the Hornets a 77-74 lead. Anthony Carter missed a 3-pointer for Minnesota, and Paul found P.J. Brown for an open jumper at the other end. Eddie Griffin scored off an offensive rebound to pull Minnesota within 79-76, but the Timberwolves were unable to capitalize on an opportunity to tie after Paul missed a rushed 3-pointer as the shot clock expired. Kevin Garnett missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, and the 6-foot Paul grabbed the rebound and hit one of his two free throws with 22 seconds left. Garnett hit both of his free throws after being fouled under the basket with 19 seconds left, but J.R. Smith answered with two of his own for New Orleans. Garnett followed Wally Szczerbiak's miss to get Minnesota within 82-80 and he had one final chance to tie the game after stealing West's inbounds pass, but he couldn't score from right under the basket. ``I saw Speedy (Claxton) for a split-second and when I was going to pull it back, the ball was already gone,'' West said. ``Luckily, he didn't get a dunk. There were guys under there who made him make a tough shot.'' West got the rebound and sealed the game with two free throws with 3.2 seconds left. Brown scored 13 and Smith added 12 points for the Hornets, who beat Minnesota for the first time in eight tries. Their last win over the Timberwolves was on Feb. 25, 2002, when the team was still based in Charlotte. Garnett finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double and his sixth of the season. Troy Hudson added four 3-pointers and 17 points, and Michael Olowokandi scored 11 for Minnesota, which fell to 0-4 on the road. After allowing Minnesota to shoot 47 percent in the first half, the Hornets held the Timberwolves to 32 percent from the field in the second half. ``We just felt like we had a lot more that we could show,'' Paul said. ``We were just letting KG and guys do whatever they wanted to in the first half, and we just locked up in second half.'' Paul, who entered the game leading all NBA rookies in points, assists and steals, scored 11 points during a 17-4 run to lead New Orleans back from a 12-point halftime deficit. Minnesota didn't score for nearly 6 minutes to start the second half. ``It started defensively because we were getting stops, and that allowed us to get out and run and push the ball up the court,'' Paul said. Paul's driving layup put the Hornets ahead 53-52. The teams then traded leads several times, leading up to a confrontation between Desmond Mason and Garnett after Garnett fouled Mason on a right-handed dunk try. Mason and Garnett stared at each other for a moment, and Garnett appeared motivated afterward. He hit back-to back baskets to give Minnesota a 74-70 lead, but the Hornets weren't done. Paul made a driving layup at the other end, and his miss set up a putback dunk by West that brought the sellout crowd to its feet. With the crowd still roaring, Garnett traveled on Minnesota's next possession, and Paul's ensuing 3-pointer put the Hornets up for good. Garnett said he was impressed by Paul and called him a ``gorilla,'' because ``he has that team right now on his back.'' ``He has a lot of natural ability,'' Garnett said. ``He knows how to get to the rack. He seems to have a lot of confidence in himself. I like that. I like the fact that he plays with that emotion.'' Notes: The crowd of 19,163 was the Hornets' third sellout in six games at Oklahoma City's Ford Center. ... New Orleans forward Chris Andersen sat out with a bruised back and bruised right knee. He had been one of only five players to appear in each of the Hornets' first 10 games. ... The Timberwolves had allowed 100 points or more in their first three road games, all losses |
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