Morrison leads Bobcats past T’Wolves

Matt Carroll scored 20 points for Charlotte, which has won three straight while snapping a four-game road slide. Gerald Wallace chipped in with 18 points, and Emeka Okafor finished with 12 points and 19 rebounds for the Bobcats.

Kevin Garnett poured in 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Minnesota, which has split its last four games. Mike James came off the bench to donate 17 points, and Mark Blount finished with 12 points.

"Wins and losses aren’t really made of just talent," said Timberwolves head coach Randy Wittman. "That’s an important part, don’t get me wrong. You’ve gotta have talent to win at this level. But, with talent you’ve gotta have the right frame of mind. Our frame of mind is more focused on me, rather than we, and that was more evident tonight — that we’re up 17 and really kind of have control of the game — and we got caught up in, "Am I getting enough shots? Is the ball touching my hands enough?"

"We quit playing, and not getting plays run. We just quit playing," Wittman added.

Blount paced the Timberwolves in the early going, and his jump shot at 2:44 gave him 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and put Minnesota up 20-17. The score was tied, 24-24, after 12 minutes.

A 14-4 run put Minnesota up 48-34, with 3:37 remaining in the half. Blount’s jumper ignited the burst, but it was James who poured in eight of the next 12 points.

Derek Anderson’s free throw, combined with Carroll’s jump shot, finally stopped the bleeding for Charlotte. The Bobcats, however, limped into the break trailing 58-45 on a 45 percent shooting performance. The team was just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc and 8-of-14 from the charity stripe in the front half.

Charlotte battled back in the third, as a pair of Morrison free throws closed the gap to 78-74 with just one minute remaining in the stanza. Garnett then made both of his shots from the charity stripe for the Timberwolves, and Marko Jaric followed by making 1-of-2 as Minnesota led 81-74 after three.

The Bobcats then surged ahead in the fourth, as Morrison continued his hot shooting with 10 straight points, including two treys, to give his team a 97-90 edge with just 1:02 remaining.

"I was just getting the ball in the right situation," said Morrison. "I was hot and that’s what the NBA is all about. It’s just getting the ball to the right guy, and tonight was my night."

Trenton Hassell’s dunk made it 97-92 with 22 seconds to play, but Carroll made both of his free throws for the Bobcats. Randy Foye then drained a three-point attempt for Minnesota with 14 seconds to play, but Wallace capped the scoring for Charlotte, as his free throw sent the Bobcats’ score into triple-digits.

Game Notes

Charlotte finished at 44 percent shooting, while Minnesota made 49 percent of its shots...Charlotte won the battle of the boards, 46-35...The Bobcats were just 7-of-22 from three-point range...It was the first win for the Bobcats when trailing on the road at halftime this season...The Bobcats were short- handed, as Jeff McInnis (ankle), Sean May (knee) and Othella Harrington (knee) all missed the game.