GAME THREAD: NBA: WASHINGTON (2-5) at MINNESOTA (1-5)

NBA: WASHINGTON at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA WASHINGTON 96
MINNESOTA 84 3:13 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA WASHINGTON 103
MINNESOTA 89 0:58 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Gilbert Arenas' knee appears to be justfine, and that is bad news for opposing teams.


Arenas scored 27 points and sparked a huge fourth-quarter run tolead the Washington Wizards to a 105-89 victory over theMinnesota Timberwolves on Friday.


Caron Butler added 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds forWashington, which snapped a seven-game losing streak here.

Arenas, who has been hampered by his surgically repaired leftknee, shot 9-of-19 and scored 10 points during an 18-3 run thathelped the Wizards blow open a tie game.


The sixth-year guard scored 30 points with 11 rebounds and sixassists in a win over Indiana on Wednesday, and he continued hisresurgence against Minnesota.


Neither team was able to pull away as the Timberwolves held athree-point lead at 74-71 to start the final period. But thatall changed in the fourth quarter when they were outscored,32-15.


Arenas tied the game at 81-81 with a 3-pointer at the 6:07 markand then made consecutive jumpers to put Washington up 85-83with 5:13 left. A pair of free throws each from Butler andAntonio Daniels made it a six-point game at 89-83 with 4:18remaining.


After a layup by Brendan Haywood stretched the lead to seven,Arenas hit a back-breaking 3-pointer that put the Wizards ahead,94-84, with 3:33 remaining.


Rashad McCants scored 19 points and Al Jefferson had 15 forMinnesota, which was held without a field goal for the final5:23.

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA WASHINGTON 105
MINNESOTA 89 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
WASHINGTON 105
MINNESOTA 89 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON (105) AT MINNESOTA (89)

WASHINGTON

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

C BUTLER F 46:13 11-16 6-8 2 6 8 1 3 2 1 29
A JAMISON F 34:34 6-16 0-0 1 4 5 1 2 1 2 14
B HAYWOOD C 33:05 4-7 0-3 4 7 11 1 4 1 2 8
D STEVENSON G 24:39 2-4 3-4 1 2 3 3 0 0 2 7
G ARENAS G 38:20 9-19 6-6 0 4 4 8 1 4 7 27
D SONGAILA 19:17 5-8 0-0 1 4 5 2 3 2 0 10
A BLATCHE 21:11 3-4 1-1 0 4 4 0 5 1 0 7
A DANIELS 18:22 0-2 3-4 0 0 0 3 1 0 1 3
N YOUNG 4:19 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 0
R MASON JR DNP - COACH'S DECISION
D MCGUIRE DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 40-77 19-26 9 31 40 20 21 11 17 105
(.519) (.731) TEAM REBS: 8 TOTAL TO: 17 (17 PTS)

MINNESOTA

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

R GOMES F 23:22 3-8 1-1 2 1 3 1 1 0 0 7
A JEFFERSON F 36:28 5-16 5-6 1 9 10 0 2 2 3 15
T RATLIFF C 15:25 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 2
R MCCANTS G 33:36 7-16 2-4 1 5 6 2 5 2 8 19
M JARIC G 23:38 2-6 2-2 0 0 0 4 1 1 1 6
A WALKER 33:27 5-9 1-2 2 3 5 2 4 3 3 14
S TELFAIR 24:22 4-8 1-2 0 1 1 3 3 1 2 9
C SMITH 10:40 2-4 2-2 1 3 4 0 1 1 0 6
C BREWER 24:38 2-5 0-0 0 3 3 0 5 0 0 5
G BUCKNER 14:24 0-1 6-8 2 2 4 1 1 0 1 6
C RICHARD DNP - COACH'S DECISION
G GREEN DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 31-74 20-27 9 27 36 13 25 11 20 89
(.419) (.741) TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 20 (29 PTS)

WASHINGTON 32 15 24 34 - 105
MINNESOTA 24 27 23 15 - 89

BLOCKED SHOTS: WASHINGTON - B HAYWOOD, A BLATCHE. MINNESOTA - C SMITH 2,
T RATLIFF, S TELFAIR, A JEFFERSON.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: WASHINGTON 6-16 (.375), C BUTLER 1-1, A JAMISON 2-
7, G ARENAS 3-8. MINNESOTA 7-18 (.389), R GOMES 0-2, R MCCANTS 3-8,
M JARIC 0-1, A WALKER 3-5, C BREWER 1-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: WASHINGTON - DEFENSIVE THREE. MINNESOTA - DEFENSIVE
THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: KEN MAUER, LEON WOOD, LEROY RICHARDSON.
A - 11,783. T - 2:15.</div>

 

NBA: WASHINGTON at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON (105)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
C Butler 46:13 11-16 6-8 2-8 1 3 29
A Jamison 34:34 6-16 0-0 1-5 1 2 14
B Haywood 33:05 4-7 0-3 4-11 1 4 8
D Stevenson 24:39 2-4 3-4 1-3 3 0 7
G Arenas 38:20 9-19 6-6 0-4 8 1 27
D Songaila 19:17 5-8 0-0 1-5 2 3 10
A Blatche 21:11 3-4 1-1 0-4 0 5 7
A Daniels 18:22 0-2 3-4 0-0 3 1 3
N Young 4:19 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 0
R Mason Jr DNP - COACH'S DECISION
D McGuire DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 40-77 19-26 9-40 20 21 105
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.519, FT-.731. 3-Point Goals:
6-16, .375 (C Butler 1-1, A Jamison 2-7, G
Arenas 3-8). Team Rebounds: 8. Blocked
Shots:2 (B Haywood, A Blatche). Turnovers:17
(G Arenas 7, A Jamison 2, D Stevenson 2, B
Haywood 2, N Young 2, A Daniels, C Butler).
Steals: 11 (G Arenas 4, D Songaila 2, C
Butler 2, A Jamison, B Haywood, A Blatche).


MINNESOTA (89)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
R Gomes 23:22 3-8 1-1 2-3 1 1 7
A Jefferson 36:28 5-16 5-6 1-10 0 2 15
T Ratliff 15:25 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2
R McCants 33:36 7-16 2-4 1-6 2 5 19
M Jaric 23:38 2-6 2-2 0-0 4 1 6
A Walker 33:27 5-9 1-2 2-5 2 4 14
S Telfair 24:22 4-8 1-2 0-1 3 3 9
C Smith 10:40 2-4 2-2 1-4 0 1 6
C Brewer 24:38 2-5 0-0 0-3 0 5 5
G Buckner 14:24 0-1 6-8 2-4 1 1 6
C Richard DNP - COACH'S DECISION
G Green DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 31-74 20-27 9-36 13 25 89
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.419, FT-.741. 3-Point Goals:
7-18, .389 (R Gomes 0-2, R McCants 3-8, M
Jaric 0-1, A Walker 3-5, C Brewer 1-2). Team
Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:5 (C Smith 2, T
Ratliff, S Telfair, A Jefferson).
Turnovers:20 (R McCants 8, A Walker 3, A
Jefferson 3, T Ratliff 2, S Telfair 2, G
Buckner, M Jaric). Steals: 11 (A Walker 3, R
McCants 2, A Jefferson 2, T Ratliff, C Smith,
M Jaric, S Telfair).

--------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON 32 15 24 34 - 105
MINNESOTA 24 27 23 15 - 89
--------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Washington - 1 (Defensive
Three, 9:41 3rd). Minnesota - 1 (Defensive
Three, 0:49 1st).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 11,783. T: 2:15.
Officials: Ken Mauer, Leon Wood, Leroy
Richardson.</div>

 

Re: NBA: WASHINGTON (2-5) at MINNESOTA (1-5)

Very exciting finish as the Wizards find their rythem in the last couple of minutes and walk all over the Timberwolves with a bunch of key steals and big shots. Gilbert caught fire at the very end of the game and the Wizards pulled away with a W that was neccesary going into another game against a young and athletic Portland team tommorow.</p>

 

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Gilbert Arenas' knee appears to be justfine, and that is bad news for opposing teams.


Arenas scored 27 points and sparked a huge fourth-quarter run tolead the Washington Wizards to a 105-89 victory over theMinnesota Timberwolves on Friday.


Caron Butler added 29 points and grabbed eight rebounds forWashington, which snapped a seven-game losing streak here.

Arenas, who has been hampered by his surgically repaired leftknee, shot 9-of-19 and scored 10 points during an 18-3 run thathelped the Wizards blow open a tie game.


Antawn Jamison scored 14 points for Washington, whichcapitalized on Minnesota's sloppy play converted 20 turnoversinto 29 points.


"Our defense really got it going," Wizards coach Eddie Jordansaid. "(Then) Gil got hot. Just 1-on-1 basketball. He stillran the offense. (He) found his way, found his spots like henormally does."


The sixth-year guard scored 30 points with 11 rebounds and sixassists in a win over Indiana on Wednesday, and he continued hisresurgence against Minnesota.


"Those three guys (Arenas, Butler, Jamison) score on everybody,"Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "All three are averaging20 points for a reason. He (Butler) just scored 27 the gamebefore."


Neither team was able to pull away as the Timberwolves held athree-point lead at 74-71 to start the final period. But thatall changed in the fourth quarter when they were outscored,32-15.


"Our defense just fed off of each possession," Jordan said. "Atthe end, we just got a few steals. Guys who weren't playing sowell earlier bounced back and played well."


Arenas tied the game at 81-81 with a 3-pointer at the 6:07 markand then made consecutive jumpers to put Washington up 85-83with 5:13 left. A pair of free throws each from Butler andAntonio Daniels made it a six-point game at 89-83 with 4:18remaining.


After a layup by Brendan Haywood stretched the lead to seven,Arenas hit a back-breaking 3-pointer that put the Wizards ahead,94-84, with 3:33 remaining.


Rashad McCants scored 19 points and Al Jefferson had 15 forMinnesota, which was held without a field goal for the final5:23.