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Sunday, Jan. 21 3:30pm ET
Ellis' 3-pointer wins it for Minnesota

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- LaPhonso Ellis normally isn't the first or second option when the Minnesota Timberwolves need a clutch basket. Against the Vancouver Grizzlies, however, he's been the right option twice this season.

Bryant Reeves
Bryant Reeves looks to make a move to the basket on Kevin Garnett.

Ellis hit a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left to lift the Timberwolves to a 96-94 victory over the Grizzlies on Sunday. With Minnesota holding a 89-88 lead, Ellis took an inbounds pass with a second left on the 24-second clock and hit the desperation attempt.

Wally Szczerbiak inbounded the ball on the Vancouver baseline, and was supposed to look for either Kevin Garnett or Terrell Brandon. Only Ellis was open and his shot enabled the Timberwolves to sweep a three-game road trip and improve to 11-11 on the road.

"I haven't had many opportunities, and the ones I've had I'd missed," said Ellis, who scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. "But before the game I'll usually shoot 50 of those 3-pointers. I'm comfortable shooting that shot. But man it's great to make one under those circumstances."

"LaPhonso's name was picked out like a lottery and he made a huge shot," said Garnett, who had 20 points.

Brandon also had 20 points for Minnesota.

Grizzlies coach Sidney Lowe, whose team was victimized last week in Los Angeles when a last-second attempt counted, giving the Lakers an overtime victory, found some irony in the Ellis basket.

"I kind of wish maybe we were in L.A. Maybe the clock with one second would have run out. He actually caught the ball, keyed it up and shot it with one second on the clock. I don't think he would have gotten that in L.A," Lowe said.

It was the type of shot that has been lacking with the Grizzlies throughout the season. Vancouver dropped to 2-10 in games decided by three points or less.

"I don't how much more we can take of this before we decide to do something about it," Lowe said.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim led Vancouver with 24 points, but Garnett noted his U.S. Olympic teammate is not the same person since rumors of a possible trade surfaced.

"I went to halfcourt (before the game). I looked at him in the eyes and I felt for him. He was not there," Garnett said of Abdur-Rahim. "You can see (losing) is getting to him. There's no sense of loyalty in this league anymore."

Game notes
Chauncey Billups (sprained ankle) did not dress for the Wolves. ... Ike Austin of the Grizzlies left the game in the third quarter because of a dislocated finger on his right hand.
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard

Minnesota Clubhouse

Vancouver Clubhouse

RECAPS
Indiana 87
New York 74

Washington 94
Atlanta 90

Toronto 110
Philadelphia 106

Utah 109
Phoenix 98

Minnesota 96
Vancouver 94

Miami 103
LA Lakers 92

Milwaukee 102
Detroit 98

Golden State 94
Boston 91

Seattle 109
Sacramento 107

FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT

Kevin Garnett Official Site

Mike Bibby Official Site


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