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Friday, Apr. 6 8:00pm ET
Garnett scores 25 as Wolves deny Suns

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Timberwolves don't have a dominating center. They have three players, sometimes four, who fill the role and occassionally combine for big numbers.

Kevin Garnett
Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, left, challenges Suns center Jake Tsakalidis.
Reggie Slater and Dean Garrett combined for 22 points, 10 rebounds and several big plays in critical moments of the Timberwolves' 101-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

LaPhonso Ellis, who has spent most of his career at forward, also gives Minnesota a center who shoots 3-pointers, runs the fast break and grabs offensive rebounds. Slater barely scratches 6-foot-6 but is a bull inside. Garrett comes the closest to being a traditional center.

"If you add up what those guys give us, we get some excellent numbers," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "A guy like Reggie, who's 6-5 1/2, 280, probably shouldn't be able to do the things he does."

Slater has heard that all his life, though usually from people who denied him opportunities because of his lack of height.

"I've heard a lot of naysayers," Slater said. "I kind of feed off that."

Slater, known as Bolo, scored eight of his 14 points in the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter. Fans chanted "Reggie! Reggie!" as he went to the free-throw line to complete a pair of three-point plays.

"Bolo came through when we needed it," said the Wolves' Kevin Garnett, who scored 25 points. "It was encouraging to hear the crowd chant his name. He deserves it. He works his butt off. It's heart and determination."

Garrett scored the Wolves' first six points of the third quarter.

Slater was 5-for-5 from the field and Garrett was 3-for-4.

Garnett, who also grabbed 10 rebounds, scored more than 20 points for just the second time in his last eight games against the Suns.

Garnett was 7-for-9 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line after the first quarter, for 21 points. He was 2-for-6 from the field and 0-for-4 from the line in the first quarter.

"Our whole system is based on stopping people," Suns coach Scott Skiles said, "and they probably felt like they could do whatever they wanted to do."

The Suns, who play tonight at Clevland, lost for just the second time in 10 games and were denied a chance to clinch their 13th consecutive playoff bid.

Jason Kidd, who averaged 27.4 points over his last 11 games, was limited to 12 points on 6-for-19 shooting. His back stiffened during warmups, and he has a bruised left knee.

"I still thought I could do things to help the team, but maybe I hurt us," Kidd said. "If I had to play now, I couldn't. But tomorrow, we'll see. I'm young. There's no time to rest now."

Mario Elie scored a season-high 17 points for the Suns.

The Wolves pulled within one game of the Suns in the race for seventh place in the Western Conference. Both teams have seven games remaining.

Game notes
Former Minneapolis Lakers great George Mikan will be honored at halftime of the Lakers-Timberwolves game Sunday, which will be attended by 22 of his former coaches and teammates. A 9-foot statue of Mikan will be unveiled. ... The Timberwolves activated guard Anthony Peeler and placed guard Sam Jacobson on the injured list with tendinitis in his right knee. Peeler scored 10 points in his return.

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RECAPS
Philadelphia 96
Cleveland 88

LA Lakers 100
Boston 96

Miami 81
Charlotte 76

Toronto 108
Orlando 100

Indiana 100
Chicago 93

Minnesota 101
Phoenix 88

Sacramento 118
Vancouver 90

Portland 122
Golden State 91

LA Clippers 113
Milwaukee 110

AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Terrell Brandon finishes the Timberwolves' break with a layup.
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