NBA Game Summary - Minnesota at Sacramento

04.3.2005

Sacramento, CA (Basketball News) - Kevin Garnett poured in a game-high 30 points, Latrell Sprewell added 23 and Minnesota got a much-needed win by defeating Sacramento, 112-100, at ARCO Arena.

Garnett added 13 rebounds, while Sam Cassell netted 16 for Minnesota, which entered Sunday’s contest three games behind upstart Memphis for eighth place in the Western conference playoff race with eight games to go in the season. Michael Olowokandi added 15 points in the win.

"(Kevin) McHale chewed us out at halftime," said Garnett. "Our offense is kind of crazy. He (Sprewell) was a lot more aggressive."

Peja Stojakovic paced the Kings with 25 points. Mike Bibby added 19 and Cuttino Mobley dropped in 16 for the Kings, who have dropped three of five. Kenny Thomas continues to put up solid numbers since the Kings acquired him via a trade with Philadelphia, posting a double-double with 11 points and 16 boards.

The Kings led 25-20 after one quarter of play, but Minnesota would grab the lead in the second quarter. Seven straight points by Cassell staked the Timberwolves to a 38-35 lead with around six minutes left in the first half.

Minnesota, which would then carry a 47-46 advantage into the locker room, looked for some breathing room in the third quarter. An 8-2 run to start the frame by the T-Wolves was capped by Olowokandi’s jumper, making it 55-48 with around nine minutes left in the stanza.

The Timberwolves would start to pull away as the lead grew to 15, 85-70, heading into the fourth quarter.

Sacramento, though, would not go away quietly in the final stanza. The Kings fought back and trimmed the deficit to single digits, 93-86, on Mobley’s layup with around six minutes left in the contest. But that was as close as the Kings would get the rest of the way.

"We are coming, we are coming," Garnett said referring to the T-Wolves late season push towards the playoffs.

Minnesota regrouped and following a short jumper by Garnett, Sprewell would drain a three from the corner to make it 105-92, effectively sealing the game with under two minutes remaining.

"We just didn’t guard them (Minnesota) well enough the whole game," said Sacramento head coach Rick Adelman. "They played like a team that really needed a win and they shot it well and executed well and we didn’t have any answer for them."

Minnesota became only the sixth team since 2000 to beat the Kings twice on their home floor in a season. The T’Wolves pulled off the feat last year and Golden State has done it this season...Minnesota ended 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, while the Kings went 6-of-18...The T’Wolves have won their last four trips to ARCO Arena and eight of the last 12 meetings overall...The Kings set an ARCO Arena record for rebounds in a half, with 20 caroms prior to the intermission.

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