Box Score

 

MINNESOTA (99)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
L Sprewell          25   3-9   0-0   0-2   3   1    6
K Garnett           38  9-15   3-5  4-13   9   2   21
J Thomas            37   6-8   0-0   3-8   1   2   12
T Hudson            28  5-10   0-0   0-1   1   2   10
T Hassell           27  6-10   0-0   0-2   2   1   12
A Carter            19   1-4   2-2   0-1   7   1    4
M Madsen            16   1-2   1-1   1-3   1   1    3
W Szczerbiak        28  7-13   6-7   1-4   4   4   20
F Hoiberg           22   4-7   0-0   0-2   0   1   11
E Johnson          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
S Cassell          DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING                       
M Olowokandi       DNP  - SPRAINED RIGHT KNEE                            
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 42-78 12-15  9-36  28  15   99
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.538, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals:
3-13, .231 (L Sprewell 0-1, T Hudson 0-2, A 
Carter 0-1, W Szczerbiak 0-4, F Hoiberg 3-5).
Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:2 (J Thomas, 
W Szczerbiak). Turnovers:11 (K Garnett 3, T 
Hudson 2, T Hassell 2, L Sprewell, W 
Szczerbiak, A Carter, M Madsen). Steals: 9 (J
Thomas 3, K Garnett 2, T Hudson, W 
Szczerbiak, M Madsen, T Hassell).


BOSTON (97)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
A Walker            33   7-9   1-2   0-2   1   2   16
P Pierce            39  6-16   0-0   0-5   9   3   12
R LaFrentz          34   4-7   3-3   0-5   3   3   12
R Davis             46  9-18   3-4   0-2   1   0   22
G Payton            32  8-11   0-0   0-3   6   0   17
D West              19   3-7   0-0   1-5   1   3    6
M Blount            20   5-9   0-0   4-6   4   0   10
A Jefferson          6   0-0   0-0   1-2   0   0    0
M Banks              6   0-1   0-0   0-0   1   2    0
J Reed               5   1-1   0-0   1-1   1   1    2
T Allen            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
K Perkins          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 43-79  7-9   7-31  27  14   97
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.544, FT-.778. 3-Point Goals:
4-9, .444 (A Walker 1-1, P Pierce 0-1, R 
LaFrentz 1-3, R Davis 1-3, G Payton 1-1). 
Team Rebounds: 4. Blocked Shots:7 (A Walker 
3, M Blount 2, G Payton, R LaFrentz). 
Turnovers:12 (A Walker 3, R Davis 3, P Pierce
2, R LaFrentz, A Jefferson, M Blount, M 
Banks). Steals: 6 (A Walker 3, R Davis, D 
West, P Pierce).

-------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA             27  23  22  27  -   99
BOSTON                27  23  23  24  -   97
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,242. T: 2:02. 
Officials: Michael Smith, Phil Robinson, Ron 
Garretson.

Extended Box

 

MINNESOTA (99) AT BOSTON (97)

MINNESOTA

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
L SPREWELL        F    25    3-9      0-0      0   2   2    3   1   0   1    6
K GARNETT         F    38    9-15     3-5      4   9  13    9   2   2   3   21
J THOMAS          C    37    6-8      0-0      3   5   8    1   2   3   0   12
T HUDSON          G    28    5-10     0-0      0   1   1    1   2   1   2   10
T HASSELL         G    27    6-10     0-0      0   2   2    2   1   1   2   12
A CARTER               19    1-4      2-2      0   1   1    7   1   0   1    4
M MADSEN               16    1-2      1-1      1   2   3    1   1   1   1    3
W SZCZERBIAK           28    7-13     6-7      1   3   4    4   4   1   1   20
F HOIBERG              22    4-7      0-0      0   2   2    0   1   0   0   11
E JOHNSON             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
S CASSELL             DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING                                 
M OLOWOKANDI          DNP  - SPRAINED RIGHT KNEE                                      
  
TOTALS                240   42-78    12-15     9  27  36   28  15   9  11   99
                            (.538)  (.800)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 13 (17 PTS)    

BOSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
A WALKER          F    33    7-9      1-2      0   2   2    1   2   3   3   16
P PIERCE          F    39    6-16     0-0      0   5   5    9   3   1   2   12
R LAFRENTZ        C    34    4-7      3-3      0   5   5    3   3   0   1   12
R DAVIS           G    46    9-18     3-4      0   2   2    1   0   1   3   22
G PAYTON          G    32    8-11     0-0      0   3   3    6   0   0   0   17
D WEST                 19    3-7      0-0      1   4   5    1   3   1   0    6
M BLOUNT               20    5-9      0-0      4   2   6    4   0   0   1   10
A JEFFERSON             6    0-0      0-0      1   1   2    0   0   0   1    0
M BANKS                 6    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    1   2   0   1    0
J REED                  5    1-1      0-0      1   0   1    1   1   0   0    2
T ALLEN               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
K PERKINS             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   43-79     7-9      7  24  31   27  14   6  12   97
                            (.544)  (.778)  TEAM REBS:  4 TOTAL TO: 12 (19 PTS)    
  
   MINNESOTA          27   23   22   27   -   99
   BOSTON             27   23   23   24   -   97
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - J THOMAS, W SZCZERBIAK.  BOSTON - A WALKER 3,
M BLOUNT 2, G PAYTON, R LAFRENTZ.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 3-13 (.231), L SPREWELL 0-1, T HUDSON 0-
2, A CARTER 0-1, W SZCZERBIAK 0-4, F HOIBERG 3-5. BOSTON 4-9 (.444),
A WALKER 1-1, P PIERCE 0-1, R LAFRENTZ 1-3, R DAVIS 1-3, G PAYTON 1-
1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: MICHAEL SMITH, PHIL ROBINSON, RON GARRETSON.
A - 17,242. T - 2:02.

Game Story

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Latrell Sprewell re-appeared just in time 
for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Sprewell's tough baseline runner with less than a second left
gave the Timberwolves a 99-97 victory over the Boston Celtics,
who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

The basket by Sprewell was his first since the opening period
and ended a seesaw affair that saw both teams lead by at least
six points in the fourth quarter.

"It does mean something to me personally," said Sprewell, who
scored just six points.  "No matter how bad you're playing, you
have to stay ready and always try to tell yourself you're going
to make the next shot.  That's the way I've always played
throughout my entire career.

"I just had to sit there (on the bench), wait and be patient and
be a cheerleader, basically.  I really didn't expect to go back
in but I got an opportunity to go and made good on it."

The shot also made a winner of former Celtics Hall of Hame
forward Kevin McHale, returning to Boston for the first time as
a coach.

"Sprewell stayed ready the whole game," McHale said.  "The guys
were making a good run out there.  I told him to stay ready,
because we're going to need you.  I put him in and he was ready
to go.  He was standing up cheering; that is the kind of
teamwork this team really needs."

A jumper by Kevin Garnett - his only basket of the final period
- gave Minnesota a 97-96 lead with two minutes to play. Antoine
Walker missed the first of two free throws but nailed the second
to tie it with 1:43 remaining.

Paul Pierce was stripped by Trenton Hassell with 25 seconds
left, giving Minnesota possession.  Boston's pressure forced the
ball into the left corner to Sprewell, who dribbled past Ricky
Davis and lofted a runner over Pierce with 0.9 seconds to go.

"You know the clock is running down. We didn't start the play
until there was 10 seconds to go (on the shot clock)," Sprewell
said.

A 19-footer by Davis hit the back iron as time expired, ending
Boston's longest winning streak of the season.

"Things have been going good, and so I actually thought it was
going in, more because it was the look he wanted," Celtics coach
Doc Rivers said.  "He had it coming to his right, he had room,
so I was happy with that."

Garnett had 21 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and Wally
Szczerbiak scored 20 points off the bench for the Wolves
(30-30), who have won two in a row to climb back to .500 for the
first time since February 17.

"We've been in this situation a couple of times this year and
(shots) haven't fallen our way," Garnett added.  "We worked for
this one and we got it. If we can build onto this and get some
momentum from this, it'll be nothing but a plus."

Davis scored 22 points and Gary Payton added 17 for the Celtics,
who lost for the first time since trading for Antoine Walker 10
days ago.

Boston, which led by as many as eight points in the third
quarter, opened an 85-78 advantage with 8:06 left on a layup by
rookie Delonte West, who scored all six of his points in the
fourth period.

Minnesota, which wasted a 12-point second-quarter lead, stormed
back behind Szczerbiak.  He had a steal and layup, an inside
hoop and a driving three-point play to help the Wolves grab a
95-89 lead with 4:04 remaining.

A jumper by Pierce and a three-point play and jumper by Davis
gave Boston a 96-95 edge with 2:54 left.

"We let it slip away," Pierce said.  "We were up eight and then
we let them back into the game.  We could have really extended
our lead, but this is a game where we really shot ourselves in
the foot.  We traded baskets all night and it came down to one
possession. We just didn't come up with the defensive stand that
we needed."

"Bottom line, if you don't play defense, you should lose the
game," Rivers said. "I didn't think we dug in deep the entire
night.  I thought we came out, in the beginning of the game, and
showed up like we were the Celtics when McHale played here."