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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Game 2 was a laugher for the San Antonio Spurs, who were all smiles from the third quarter on.
In a lopsided game in which the entire fourth quarter was
garbage time, San Antonio dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves
86-69 Monday night for a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff
series.
Tim Duncan had 18 points and 11 rebounds and held Kevin Garnett
to 5-for-13 shooting. The Timberwolves' shooting percentage, 33.8,
was one-tenth of a percent off their franchise low during the
playoffs, and they committed 20 turnovers.
The best-of-five series now shifts to Minneapolis. Game 3 won't
be played until Saturday.
Garnett finished with a team-high 18 points for Minnesota, which
fell behind by 28 points in the third quarter and never threatened
thereafter.
"We're thrilled that we got a big win, but you never go into a
game like this thinking you're going to win by a wide margin,"
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Reserve LaPhonso Ellis, who had 15, was Garnett's only teammate
to score in double figures. Terrell Brandon, who sprained his ankle
in Game 1 on Saturday, ditched the electric blue shoes he wore in
that game but still shot just 2-for-9 from the field.
The Spurs built a 16-point first-half lead with five 3-pointers
and sloppy shooting by Minnesota. San Antonio finished with seven
3-pointers.
After the Wolves opened the third quarter with Brandon's
3-pointer, the Spurs rattled off 12 straight points to go up 62-39.
Danny Ferry contributed a 3-pointer and Duncan finished off the
surge by rebounding two of his own misses and then throwing down an
enthusiastic dunk.
Minnesota only managed to score one point (on Chauncey Billups'
free throw) before LaPhonso Ellis' flagrant foul sent Terry Porter
to the free throw line. He made both shots, and Derek Anderson
followed up with two jumpers to give the Spurs a 68-40 lead.
The Wolves never cut the lead below 15 after that.
"They changed their defense more, the came with double-teams a
lot quicker," Duncan said. "When we started moving the ball, it
hurt their defense a lot."
David Robinson added 17 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and
two blocks, Terry Porter shot 3-for-3 from 3-point range and added
13 points and Anderson had 12.
The Spurs scored 17 fast-break points to none for Minnesota.
Garnett had 12 rebounds for the Wolves. No other Minnesota
starter had more than seven points (Brandon).
The Timberwolves have made five postseason appearances,
beginning in 1997. They have never made it past the first round.
They were knocked out last year by Portland.
Game notes
Minnesota relied on Garnett's perfect free-throw shooting
for eight of their 36 first-half points. ... Minnesota had its
all-time low shooting percentage in a playoff game against Seattle
on April 24, 1998. ... In the first round of the 1999 playoffs, the
eighth-seeded Timberwolves beat the top-seeded Spurs, 80-71, in San
Antonio. The Spurs went on to win the series 3-1 on their way to
the NBA title.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
San Antonio Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 102
Miami 76
San Antonio 86
Minnesota 69
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