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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Kevin Garnett is right at home with the game
on the line, especially when he's in the Target Center paint.
|  | | Damon Stoudamire drives past Terrell Brandon in a matchup of Portland natives. |
Garnett banked in a 10-foot shot with 3.3 seconds left to
cap a 27-point performance as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat
Portland 98-96 on Thursday night.
"They were anticipating us to call a timeout," Garnett said.
"I sprinted down the court and got to my favorite box."
Terrell Brandon found Garnett, who got free with a fake.
"I gave (Scottie) Pippen a herky-jerky move to get some
space," Garnett said.
Malik Sealy tied his season-high with 27 points for Minnesota,
which won for the eighth time in nine games following an eight-game
losing streak. Brandon, who was playing despite a severe cough, had
17 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds.
"Tonight was a credit to the hard work we have put in over the
last three weeks," said Sealy, who hit two crucial jumpers in the
last two minutes. "Flip (Saunders) and the rest of the coaches got
us to work hard."
Rasheed Wallace scored 24 points, and Steve Smith had 20 for
Portland, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. Wallace
and Garnett were going head-to-head for most of the game in both
points and emotion.
"When I felt him (Wallace) getting a lot more aggressive, I felt I had to get more aggressive," Garnett said. "I had to keep him on his heels."
Portland had a 92-88 lead with 2:45 remaining before Garnett and Brandon each made two free throws to tie it with 1:52 left. The teams then traded baskets twice before Garnett banked in a 10-footer to win it.
Damon Stoudamire's jumper from the foul line, rimmed in and out at the buzzer.
"There was no room for Rasheed or me to get free," Smith said
of the last play. "Damon had a great look and it rattled in and
out."
"That was a hard-fought ball game," Portland coach Mike
Dunleavy said. "At the end of the game, we didn't come up with the
loose balls and it cost us."
Leading 49-47, Portland took advantage of eight Minnesota
turnovers in the third quarter to extend its lead to 75-70. Smith
scored seven in the quarter and Pippen added five.
Wallace scored nine in the first quarter as Portland took a
27-20 lead.
Minnesota used a 9-2 run at the start of the second to tie it at 29 with 8:46 left in the half.
Portland center Arvydas Sabonis didn't play because of an upper
respiratory infection.
Game notes
Minnesota activated center Dean Garrett, who had been on
the injured list since Dec. 17 because of a sore left knee. He had
four points and three rebounds in eight minutes. ... Minnesota
guard William Avery played for the first time in six games,
following a bout with the flu. ... Sealy shot 11-for-16 from the
field and is shooting 61.4 percent in his last 11 games. ... Smith
made was three for six from 3-point range and is 16-for-27 (59
percent) in his last seven games. ... Wallace got a technical for
the second straight game.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 101
Sacramento 89
Cleveland 90
Golden State 75
Detroit 101
Milwaukee 95
Miami 111
Houston 99
Minnesota 98
Portland 96
Utah 105
Dallas 92
Indiana 102
Denver 87
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