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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- In a game decided by Smiths, Minnesota's version got hot at the right time.
Joe Smith scored 12 points in the last 7:05, including a
desperate bank shot with 15.1 seconds left, giving the Timberwolves
a 96-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
|  | | Portland's Damon Stoudamire, left, flips the ball past the outstretched arms of Minnesota's Terrell Brandon, center, and Kevin Garnett. |
"It might have been the game-winner for H-O-R-S-E," said Smith,
who was outdueled by Portland's Steve Smith for the first half of
the fourth quarter. "When I got it, I tried to put it as close to
the rim as possible."
Steve Smith, who also had 12 in the quarter, hit a 13-foot
baseline jumper to cut Minnesota's lead to 91-89 with 40.3 seconds
left. At the other end, Kevin Garnett had the ball stripped by
Scottie Pippen, but the ball bounced to Joe Smith, who heaved a
17-foot shot off the glass to barely beat the shot clock and make
it 93-89.
"He made an unbelievable shot when we needed it," said
Garnett, who had 17 points and 12 rebounds. "I was yelling, 'Yo
dog, you got two (seconds), and he shot it and won it for us."
After a timeout, Pippen's inbounds pass was picked off by
Garnett, who passed to Malik Sealy for the clinching dunk with 5.1
seconds left.
Terrell Brandon had 25 points to lead the Timberwolves, who have
won six of their last seven road games. Smith and Wally Szczerbiak
each had 16 points.
Minnesota not only tied the season series 2-2, it got a rare win
in Portland. The Timberwolves had lost 14 in a row here and 18 of
19.
"We knew that they really wanted to beat us, since we beat them
in Minnesota," Brandon said. "It was two teams going at it with a
lot of respect for each other.
"This gives us confidence if we meet in the playoffs."
Pippen scored 21 and Rasheed Wallace and Steve Smith each had 19
to lead the Blazers, who had won three straight.
Wallace hit 9 of 10 shots for the second straight game, but he
was in foul trouble most of the game. He was ejected with 5.1
seconds left for arguing a no-call after Garnett intercepted
Pippen's inbounds pass. Wallace leads the league with 28 technical
fouls and has been tossed from five games.
"It's tough for us. We need Rasheed in there," Steve Smith
said.
The Blazers trailed 71-68 to start the fourth, then Steve Smith
hit four quick shots to put Portland ahead 80-75. But after his
layup with 6:41 to go made it 82-79, the Blazers made just two
shots the rest of the way.
The Blazers also missed five straight free throws during one
stretch of the fourth.
"We didn't play well, period," Portland's Greg Anthony said.
"We had a couple guys who offensively made the plays, but overall
we were really not a very good team tonight."
The Timberwolves trailed 49-41 at halftime, but shot 68 percent
in the third quarter. A short hook by Radoslav Nesterovic capped an
11-0 run and put the Wolves up 58-54. Pippen responded with two
straight jumpers to tie it at 58, and the game was tight the rest
of the way.
Wallace was magnificent in the first half, scoring 17 points and
missing just one shot after going 9-for-10 and scoring 19 in
Tuesday night's win over Sacramento.
The Blazers shot 61 percent in the first quarter and hit their
last five shots to take a 25-16 lead. Minnesota cut it to three 4{
minutes into the second quarter, but the Timberwolves went almost
three minutes without a basket late in the quarter.
A driving finger roll by Pippen made it 49-39, and a leaning
jumper by Brandon ended the Wolves' lull and cut the lead to eight
at halftime.
Game notes
Steve Smith had been in a slump his past six games,
averaging just 8.2 points and shooting 27 percent. ... Minnesota,
which leads the NBA in fewest turnovers at 13.9, committed just
eight to the Blazers' 17. ... The Midwest Division is 1-9 at
Portland this season. ... The game matched the two best field-goal
shooting teams in the NBA. Portland, leading at 46.9, shot 51
percent, while the Timberwolves, who were at 46.8, shot 50 percent.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Portland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 109
LA Lakers 102
Utah 107
Cleveland 86
Miami 92
Philadelphia 77
Milwaukee 106
Houston 96
Dallas 110
San Antonio 88
Minnesota 96
Portland 92
Seattle 117
Vancouver 103
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