Box Score

 

MINNESOTA (98)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
L Sprewell          35  6-16   2-3   1-3   2   3   17
K Garnett           38  8-14 15-15  4-12   7   1   31
M Olowokandi        38  8-13   1-4  1-13   1   1   17
T Hudson            27   3-9   1-2   0-1   6   2    9
T Hassell           33   4-7   1-1   0-0   2   2    9
W Szczerbiak        25   4-7   0-0   1-1   0   2    8
E Griffin           10   1-4   1-2   1-4   1   1    3
S Cassell           21   1-8   0-0   0-4   1   3    2
J Thomas            10   1-1   0-0   2-3   0   1    2
A Carter             3   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
E Johnson          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
F Hoiberg          DNP  - BACK SPASMS                                    
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 36-79 21-27 10-41  20  16   98
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.456, FT-.778. 3-Point Goals:
5-13, .385 (L Sprewell 3-6, T Hudson 2-3, W 
Szczerbiak 0-2, E Griffin 0-1, S Cassell 
0-1). Team Rebounds: 8. Blocked Shots:6 (M 
Olowokandi 2, E Griffin 2, K Garnett, T 
Hassell). Turnovers:13 (L Sprewell 2, K 
Garnett 2, W Szczerbiak 2, M Olowokandi 2, S 
Cassell, E Griffin, J Thomas, T Hassell, T 
Hudson). Steals: 6 (L Sprewell 2, S Cassell, 
K Garnett, J Thomas, T Hudson).


ATLANTA (105)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
J Smith             37  5-13   4-4   0-5   2   3   14
T Gugliotta         18   1-7   0-0   1-6   3   3    2
J Collier           12   5-9   0-0   1-1   0   1   12
T Lue               29  9-12   4-4   1-3   3   0   23
J Childress         31  7-12   0-0   2-4   3   2   14
P Drobnak           32  4-13   0-0   1-5   2   3    8
R Ivey              19   3-4   4-4   1-3   5   1   10
M Stewart           18   1-3   0-0   2-4   0   6    2
T Delk              30  6-10   2-2   0-7   3   2   18
D Smith              6   1-1   0-0   0-1   0   0    2
B Diaw               8   0-1   0-0   0-0   2   0    0
J Thomas           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 42-85 14-14  9-39  23  21  105
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.494, FT-1.000. 3-Point 
Goals: 7-14, .500 (J Smith 0-1, T Gugliotta 
0-1, J Collier 2-3, T Lue 1-1, P Drobnak 0-2,
T Delk 4-6). Team Rebounds: 4. Blocked 
Shots:5 (J Smith 3, M Stewart 2). 
Turnovers:10 (T Delk 2, J Collier 2, T 
Gugliotta, B Diaw, J Smith, P Drobnak, J 
Childress, M Stewart). Steals: 9 (T Delk 4, T
Gugliotta, R Ivey, J Childress, P Drobnak, J 
Smith).

-------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA             27  25  24  22  -   98
ATLANTA               16  35  25  29  -  105
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,583. T: 2:08. 
Officials: Bernie Fryer, Courtney Kirkland, 
Scott Wall.

Extended Box

 

MINNESOTA (98) AT ATLANTA (105)

MINNESOTA

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
L SPREWELL        F    35    6-16     2-3      1   2   3    2   3   2   2   17
K GARNETT         F    38    8-14    15-15     4   8  12    7   1   1   2   31
M OLOWOKANDI      C    38    8-13     1-4      1  12  13    1   1   0   2   17
T HUDSON          G    27    3-9      1-2      0   1   1    6   2   1   1    9
T HASSELL         G    33    4-7      1-1      0   0   0    2   2   0   1    9
W SZCZERBIAK           25    4-7      0-0      1   0   1    0   2   0   2    8
E GRIFFIN              10    1-4      1-2      1   3   4    1   1   0   1    3
S CASSELL              21    1-8      0-0      0   4   4    1   3   1   1    2
J THOMAS               10    1-1      0-0      2   1   3    0   1   1   1    2
A CARTER                3    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
E JOHNSON             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
F HOIBERG             DNP  - BACK SPASMS                                              
  
TOTALS                240   36-79    21-27    10  31  41   20  16   6  13   98
                            (.456)  (.778)  TEAM REBS:  8 TOTAL TO: 14 (18 PTS)    

ATLANTA

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
J SMITH           F    37    5-13     4-4      0   5   5    2   3   1   1   14
T GUGLIOTTA       F    18    1-7      0-0      1   5   6    3   3   1   1    2
J COLLIER         C    12    5-9      0-0      1   0   1    0   1   0   2   12
T LUE             G    29    9-12     4-4      1   2   3    3   0   0   0   23
J CHILDRESS       G    31    7-12     0-0      2   2   4    3   2   1   1   14
P DROBNAK              32    4-13     0-0      1   4   5    2   3   1   1    8
R IVEY                 19    3-4      4-4      1   2   3    5   1   1   0   10
M STEWART              18    1-3      0-0      2   2   4    0   6   0   1    2
T DELK                 30    6-10     2-2      0   7   7    3   2   4   2   18
D SMITH                 6    1-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   0    2
B DIAW                  8    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    2   0   0   1    0
J THOMAS              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   42-85    14-14     9  30  39   23  21   9  10  105
                            (.494)  (1.000) TEAM REBS:  4 TOTAL TO: 10 (7 PTS)     
  
   MINNESOTA          27   25   24   22   -   98
   ATLANTA            16   35   25   29   -   105
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - M OLOWOKANDI 2, E GRIFFIN 2, K GARNETT,
T HASSELL.  ATLANTA - J SMITH 3, M STEWART 2.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 5-13 (.385), L SPREWELL 3-6, T HUDSON 2-
3, W SZCZERBIAK 0-2, E GRIFFIN 0-1, S CASSELL 0-1. ATLANTA 7-14 (.
500), J SMITH 0-1, T GUGLIOTTA 0-1, J COLLIER 2-3, T LUE 1-1, P DROBNAK 0-
2, T DELK 4-6.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BERNIE FRYER, COURTNEY KIRKLAND, SCOTT WALL.
A - 17,583. T - 2:08.

Game Story

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves are in serious 
danger of missing the playoffs.  Coach Kevin McHale wanted to
make sure they did not miss the bus, too.

The Timberwolves moved closer to missing the postseason for the
first time in nine years with a crushing 105-98 loss to the
lowly Atlanta Hawks, who ended a 14-game losing streak.

Following Friday's home loss to Denver, the dispirited
Timberwolves (40-37) absorbed their worst loss of the season.
After posting the best record in the Western Conference and
reaching the conference finals a year ago, they are four games
behind eighth-place Memphis with five to play.

"You can't disrespect the game of basketball like that," McHale
said. "You have to go out there and play as a team.  And when
you don't, it's just ugly."

Twenty minutes following the setback, McHale rushed his players
onto the bus, cutting short his team's media session. Reigning
league MVP Kevin Garnett still managed to have his voice heard.

"Who isn't upset in here? There shouldn't be a happy face in
this locker room except for you guys, and that's for your own
personal reasons," Garnett said.  "Who cares what people say?
That's our (bleeping) problem, we shouldn't give a (bleep) what
people say anyway. We control our own destiny.

"I'm at a loss for words. I don't like 'frustrated' because it's
not a clear mind. But it's been all year, man, it's been all
year. It cost Flip (previous coach Flip Saunders) his job."

The Hawks (12-64) had lost 27 of their last 28 games but rode a
huge finish from Tyronn Lue, who scored 14 of his 23 points in
the fourth quarter.  Lue sank a clutch jumper with 17 seconds
remaining that sealed Atlanta's first win since a 116-112
overtime triumph at Toronto on March 11.

Lue made a difficult fadeaway jumper from the free-throw line
with 3:33 remaining to give Atlanta a 93-89 cushion.  Following
a three-point play by Minnesota's Michael Olowokandi, the 6-foot
Lue made a floater to beat the shot clock and added two free
throws on the following possession to give Atlanta a 97-92 lead
with 2:18 to go.

"With Peja (Drobnjak) being the kind of shooter he is ... he's a
great pick-and-pop player," Lue said. "I was able to come off
and get some good looks. I was able to knock them down."

After Minnesota sliced the deficit to one on a jumper by Trenton
Hassell and two free throws by Garnett, Lue responded with
back-to-back jumpers, including a pull-up with 17 seconds
remaining to preserve the win.

"He was in the flow," Garnett said. "He was taking what we were
giving him.  He came through in the clutch.  I've always known
Ty to be big, going back to his Laker days."

"He was amazing coming down the stretch, knocking down open jump
shots," Hawks rookie guard Josh Smith said.  "He was
relentless."

The Hawks, the second-worst free-throw shooting team in the NBA
at 70.2 percent, made all 14 of their foul shots, including
10-of-10 in the final period.

Atlanta also ended a 12-game home slide and won in regulation
for the first time since defeating the Los Angeles Lakers on
February 7.

"This is a good win for us after losing 14 in a row," Lue said.
"Coming back and not giving up and continuing to play hard, we
were able to execute down the stretch when we needed to."

The same couldn't be said for the Timberwolves, who need a
miracle to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since
1996.

"Basketball is my love," Garnett said. "It's what flows through
me. When it's out of balance like this, it frustrates me."

Atlanta trailed by 13 points in the first quarter and 76-67 with
under three minutes remaining in the third period before
closing the quarter with a 9-0 run.

Garnett had 31 points and 12 rebounds, including 15-of-15 from
the line.  Olowokandi and Latrell Sprewell added 17 points
apiece for Minnesota.