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Thursday, Jan. 4 8:00pm ET
Weak defensive effort does Sonics in

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Gary Payton was hurting, and the Timberwolves took advantage.

Desmond Mason
The Sonics' Desmond Mason loses the handle on this rebound as the Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett anticipates a loose ball.
Minnesota's three starting perimeter players combined for 60 points as the Timberwolves beat the SuperSonics 105-92 Thursday night.

Despite a nagging groin injury, Payton led Seattle with 19 points in his 348th straight regular-season start, the longest active streak in the NBA. But the Sonics' defense did them in.

Anthony Peeler scored 22 points, Terrell Brandon had 17 of his 21 in the first half, and Wally Szczerbiak chipped in 13 of his 17 in the third quarter.

Payton bounced back from a season-worst six-point performance against Indiana on Tuesday night that snapped his 70-game string of scoring 10 points or more. He was more concerned about his team's lack of intensity than with his injury.

"Ask me about the game," Payton snapped. "Ain't nothing wrong with me."

Payton also was unhappy with the frequency Minnesota scored on second chances. The Wolves turned offensive rebounds into 11 points and scored 25 off fast breaks.

"A lot of people are working on one end and not the other," Payton said. "If that keeps happening, we're going to keep losing. They played well, (but) we've got guys worrying about things other than basketball."

Sonics coach Nate McMillan was concerned with the Sonics' defense, too.

"Defensively, we're playing soft," he said. "We're not playing either side of the floor well. We're letting guys drive right by us."

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders was happy to see that.

"We've been pushing the ball and scoring more points," he said.

Rebounding from a loss Tuesday night to lowly Washington, the Timberwolves trailed for only 58 seconds -- all in the first half.

Szczerbiak energized the Wolves right after halftime. With a mix of quick drives to the hoop and long jumpers, he scored 10 of Minnesota's first 12 points of the third quarter.

Szczerbiak also sparked several fast breaks in the period by nabbing two rebounds and a few more loose balls. He had 11 rebounds in the game.

LaPhonso Ellis had 13 points and nine rebounds.

"I have to play with energy," he said. "My mother-in-law says if she can see my eyes and teeth, I'm playing well."

Minnesota's Kevin Garnett finished with 13 points. His jumper with 2:40 left extended his double-figure scoring streak to 244 games, the longest active streak in the league.

Chauncey Billups scored 13 points off the bench for the Wolves.

Vin Baker scored 17 points for Seattle, which stayed close in the first half thanks to a 14-0 run midway through the second quarter. Desmond Mason had 12, and Shammond Williams added 11 for the Sonics.

Game notes
Sonics coach Nate McMillan said it wasn't a close call whether Payton would start. "Guys like that want to play," McMillan said. "If they're (at least) half speed, they feel they can be effective. At times, that's better than nothing." Payton has missed only two games in his 11-year career. ... Minnesota coach Flip Saunders is one victory short of 200 for his NBA career. The Wolves are 10-4 when scoring more than 100.
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RECAPS
Miami 81
New Jersey 78

Minnesota 105
Seattle 92

New York 95
Orlando 92

Chicago 98
Washington 96

Houston 107
Detroit 97

FROM
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