GAME THREAD: NBA: PHOENIX (16-4) at MINNESOTA (2-15)

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA PHOENIX 89
MINNESOTA 95 3:18 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA PHOENIX 89
MINNESOTA 97 0:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA PHOENIX 93
MINNESOTA 100 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHOENIX 32 24 24 13 93
MINNESOTA 28 27 32 13 100 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: PHO - SHAWN MARION 18, LEANDRO BARBOSA 17,
AMARE STOUDEMIRE 16
MIN - AL JEFFERSON 32, MARKO JARIC 19, CRAIG
SMITH 16</div>

 

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Al Jefferson helped put an end to thethird five-game losing streak for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jefferson tied a career high with 32 points and added 20rebounds as Minnesota got back into the win column with a 100-93victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.


Marko Jaric had 19 points and Craig Smith chipped in 16 for theTimberwolves, who have lost five games in a row three times thisseason - only to answer each skid with a win.


Minnesota used a key run late in the third quarter and a bigdefensive effort in the fourth to end the Suns' five-gamewinning streak.


The Timberwolves ended the third on a 10-1 run - keyed by sixpoints from Rashad McCants - to take an 87-80 lead entering thefourth.


Minnesota built its lead to as many as 10 early in the fourthbefore Steve Nash connected on consecutive 3-pointers to cut thedeficit to 91-87 with 8:24 to play.


Leading, 93-89, with 6:54 remaining, the Timberwolves held theSuns scoreless for almost six minutes as they expanded theirlead back to 99-89 with just under one minute to play.

Minnesota also enjoyed a substantial rebounding edge, 55-33, forthe game. Phoenix also shot just 7-of-25 from the arc as itfailed to score at least 110 points for the first time in sixgames.


The Suns shot just 13-of-40 (33 percent) in the second half andmay have felt fatigued after playing their fourth game in fivedays.


Both teams shot at least 50 percent in the opening quarter asthe Suns held a 32-28 lead after the first.


An 11-2 run gave Phoenix its largest lead at 49-43 with 4:04left in the first half but the Timberwolves closed the deficitto 56-55 at the break.


No team led by more than six points until Jefferson hit thefront end of a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play inthe third quarter to give the Timberwolves a seven-pointadvantage entering the fourth.


Shawn Marion led the Suns with 18 points and Nash finished with14 and 15 assists, marking his sixth straight game with at least14 assists.

 

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
PHOENIX 93
MINNESOTA 100 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">PHOENIX (93) AT MINNESOTA (100)

PHOENIX

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

S NASH G 39:19 5-14 2-2 0 4 4 15 0 0 2 14
R BELL G 31:03 2-10 0-0 0 2 2 3 4 0 0 6
S MARION F 37:12 7-12 4-5 2 4 6 2 2 1 1 18
G HILL F 36:57 6-13 1-1 1 3 4 3 3 1 1 13
A STOUDEMIRE C 34:08 7-12 2-5 1 4 5 2 5 1 4 16
L BARBOSA 29:00 7-14 1-2 1 1 2 1 3 2 2 17
B SKINNER 16:18 2-5 0-0 3 6 9 0 2 1 3 4
B DIAW 16:03 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 3 1 0 2 5
E PIATKOWSKI DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M BANKS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
D STRAWBERRY DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S MARKS DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 38-83 10-15 8 25 33 29 20 6 15 93
(.458) (.667) TEAM REBS: 8 TOTAL TO: 15 (15 PTS)

MINNESOTA

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

C BREWER F 30:57 3-10 0-2 1 10 11 4 4 0 3 6
C SMITH F 36:26 7-11 2-2 5 3 8 0 2 0 1 16
A JEFFERSON C 42:02 13-26 6-8 6 14 20 2 1 4 3 32
M JARIC G 40:03 7-11 3-5 0 2 2 5 5 1 6 19
S TELFAIR G 39:08 5-12 0-0 0 1 1 6 3 1 2 10
R MCCANTS 22:58 3-11 2-2 3 0 3 0 1 1 0 10
R GOMES 18:45 2-7 3-3 3 4 7 0 1 0 0 7
C RICHARD 9:41 0-2 0-0 1 2 3 0 1 0 0 0
A WALKER DNP - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE
M DOLEAC DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M MADSEN DNP - COACH'S DECISION
G GREEN DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 40-90 16-22 19 36 55 17 18 7 15 100
(.444) (.727) TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 16 (16 PTS)

PHOENIX 32 24 24 13 - 93
MINNESOTA 28 27 32 13 - 100

BLOCKED SHOTS: PHOENIX - B SKINNER 4, S MARION 4, G HILL 2, A STOUDEMIRE 2.
MINNESOTA - A JEFFERSON.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PHOENIX 7-25 (.280), S NASH 2-6, R BELL 2-7, S MARION 0-
2, G HILL 0-1, L BARBOSA 2-8, B DIAW 1-1. MINNESOTA 4-13 (.308), C BREWER 0-
2, M JARIC 2-4, S TELFAIR 0-2, R MCCANTS 2-3, R GOMES 0-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: MINNESOTA - DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: KEN MAUER, MONTY MCCUTCHEN, ORLANDIS POOLE.
A - 19,356. T - 2:13.</div>

 

NBA: PHOENIX at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">PHOENIX (93)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
S Nash 39:19 5-14 2-2 0-4 15 0 14
R Bell 31:03 2-10 0-0 0-2 3 4 6
S Marion 37:12 7-12 4-5 2-6 2 2 18
G Hill 36:57 6-13 1-1 1-4 3 3 13
A Stoudemire 34:08 7-12 2-5 1-5 2 5 16
L Barbosa 29:00 7-14 1-2 1-2 1 3 17
B Skinner 16:18 2-5 0-0 3-9 0 2 4
B Diaw 16:03 2-3 0-0 0-1 3 1 5
E Piatkowski DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M Banks DNP - COACH'S DECISION
D Strawberry DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S Marks DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 38-83 10-15 8-33 29 20 93
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.458, FT-.667. 3-Point Goals:
7-25, .280 (S Nash 2-6, R Bell 2-7, S Marion
0-2, G Hill 0-1, L Barbosa 2-8, B Diaw 1-1).
Team Rebounds: 8. Blocked Shots:12 (B Skinner
4, S Marion 4, G Hill 2, A Stoudemire 2).
Turnovers:15 (A Stoudemire 4, B Skinner 3, S
Nash 2, B Diaw 2, L Barbosa 2, G Hill, S
Marion). Steals: 6 (L Barbosa 2, G Hill, B
Skinner, S Marion, A Stoudemire).


MINNESOTA (100)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
C Brewer 30:57 3-10 0-2 1-11 4 4 6
C Smith 36:26 7-11 2-2 5-8 0 2 16
A Jefferson 42:02 13-26 6-8 6-20 2 1 32
M Jaric 40:03 7-11 3-5 0-2 5 5 19
S Telfair 39:08 5-12 0-0 0-1 6 3 10
R McCants 22:58 3-11 2-2 3-3 0 1 10
R Gomes 18:45 2-7 3-3 3-7 0 1 7
C Richard 9:41 0-2 0-0 1-3 0 1 0
A Walker DNP - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE
M Doleac DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M Madsen DNP - COACH'S DECISION
G Green DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 40-90 16-22 19-55 17 18 100
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.444, FT-.727. 3-Point Goals:
4-13, .308 (C Brewer 0-2, M Jaric 2-4, S
Telfair 0-2, R McCants 2-3, R Gomes 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked Shots:1 (A
Jefferson). Turnovers:15 (M Jaric 6, A
Jefferson 3, C Brewer 3, S Telfair 2, C
Smith). Steals: 7 (A Jefferson 4, R McCants,
M Jaric, S Telfair).

-------------------------------------------
PHOENIX 32 24 24 13 - 93
MINNESOTA 28 27 32 13 - 100
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Minnesota - 1 (Defensive
Three, 6:17 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 19,356. T: 2:13.
Officials: Ken Mauer, Monty McCutchen,
Orlandis Poole.</div>

 

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Al Jefferson helped put an end to thethird five-game losing streak for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jefferson tied a career high with 32 points and added 20rebounds as Minnesota got back into the win column with a 100-93victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.


Marko Jaric had 19 points and Craig Smith chipped in 16 for theTimberwolves, who have lost five games in a row three times thisseason - only to answer each skid with a win.


"This win feels especially good," Jaric said. "Especiallybeating one of the best teams in the NBA. We have been fightingreally hard and have been trying to get some luck back. Rightnow we have to continue this kind of effort."


With his performance, Jefferson became the only Timberwolvesplayer other than Kevin Garnett to have a 30 point, 20 reboundgame - and the first since May 19, 2004.


"The team did a great job of finding and giving me the ball inthe fourth quarter," Jefferson said. "Marko, Corey, Sebastian,and Craig played big on the offensive end and that helped me outa lot."


Minnesota used a key run late in the third quarter and a bigdefensive effort in the fourth to end the Suns' five-gamewinning streak.


The Timberwolves ended the third on a 10-1 run - keyed by sixpoints from Rashad McCants - to take an 87-80 lead entering thefourth.


Minnesota built its lead to as many as 10 early in the fourthbefore Steve Nash connected on consecutive 3-pointers to cut thedeficit to 91-87 with 8:24 to play.


Leading, 93-89, with 6:54 remaining, the Timberwolves held theSuns scoreless for almost six minutes as they expanded theirlead back to 99-89 with just under one minute to play.

"I think we got them rolling, gave them the sense that theycould beat us," Suns guard Raja Bell said. "And they did. Onceyou let a young team with a lot of energy believe and startfeeling good about themselves, anything can happen."

Minnesota also enjoyed a substantial rebounding edge, 55-33, forthe game. Phoenix also shot just 7-of-25 from the arc as itfailed to score at least 110 points for the first time in sixgames.


"We always give up a lot of rebounds, maybe too many" D'Antonisaid. "But that is them being quick to the ball and tonight weweren't quick to the ball."


The Suns shot just 13-of-40 (33 percent) in the second half andmay have felt fatigued after playing their fourth game in fivedays. Including tonight, three of Phoenix's five losses havecome in the second game of a back-to-back set.


"They played hard and they played well," Phoenix coach MikeD'Antoni said. "We scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, sogive them credit. We turned on our defense a little late."

Both teams shot at least 50 percent in the opening quarter asthe Suns held a 32-28 lead after the first.


An 11-2 run gave Phoenix its largest lead at 49-43 with 4:04left in the first half but the Timberwolves closed the deficitto 56-55 at the break.


No team led by more than six points until Jefferson hit thefront end of a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play inthe third quarter to give the Timberwolves a seven-pointadvantage entering the fourth.


Shawn Marion led the Suns with 18 points and Nash finished with14 and 15 assists, marking his sixth straight game with at least14 assists.


"This one's on us," Suns center Amare Stoudamire said. "Wecouldn't pull out the win. We might have been a little tired,but that's not an excuse. We should have gotten that win. Wewere trying to make it a perfect trip and we fell one gameshort."