NBA Game Summary - New Orleans at Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN (Basketball News) - Kevin Garnett finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds as Minnesota held on to defeat New Orleans, 107-102, at the Target Center.

Troy Hudson netted 20 and Sam Cassell had 14 points off the bench for the Timberwolves, who won for the second straight time after dropping their previous two. Fred Hoiberg and Eddie Griffin had 12 points apiece in the win. Griffin finished with 10 rebounds.

"It’s a win," Cassell said. "Teams are going to make a run. They made a good run and nailed some three’s down the stretch. I thought we controlled the game from start to finish."

J.R. Smith and Jamaal Magloire led seven players in double figures as each had 20 in the losing effort. New Orleans has dropped three straight and seven of its last nine. Magloire finished with a game-high 17 boards, while Dan Dickau poured in 17 points.

"We don’t help each other out," Magloire stated. "As a result they have the freedom to do what they want."

Minnesota dominated the opening quarter, garnering a 16-5 lead midway through after Latrell Sprewell’s jumper. The Timberwolves continued to pour it on in the stanza, stretching their lead to as many as 19 on a Hoiberg bucket with 46 seconds remaining and eventually leading 33-16 after one.

New Orleans got as close as 13 in the second quarter, but still trailed 61-46 at the break. Magloire led the Hornets with 14 points in the half.

Hudson tallied 16 points for the T’Wolves in the opening 24 minutes.

The Hornets battled back in the third quarter, however, and trailed just 80-74 going into the final frame.

Casey Jacobsen’s pair of free throws to open the fourth made it 80-76, but Minnesota scored the next six points to go back up by 10.

New Orleans would not go away, though, and trailed by five with just over five minutes to go in the quarter after Dickau scored four straight points to make it 92-87.

The Hornets wouldn’t get any closer in the contest, as the T’Wolves held on for the five-point win.