Blazers edge Timberwolves behind Randolph’s late heroics

Jarrett Jack scored a career-high 19 points off the bench and fellow reserve Ruben Patterson netted 12 for Portland, which came into the contest losers of four of its last six.

Kevin Garnett scored 27 points on a blistering 12-of-13 from the floor to go along with 15 boards and four assists, but disappeared down the stretch as the Timberwolves lost for the sixth time in their last eight games. Garnett hit his last bucket with 6:47 remaining and did not shoot the ball again for the rest of the contest.

Ricky Davis added 17 points and Marcus Banks donated 15 with five assists in defeat.

With the Blazers ahead by just three, Jack connected on a three-pointer and Patterson followed with a layup to extend Portland to a 75-67 edge with 8:48 remaining. However, four straight points by Banks later on sparked a 10-0 Timberwolves run that put them ahead 79-77 with 4:46 remaining.

Minnesota then extended to an 81-78 lead before seven straight points by Randolph put Portland back ahead with 2:48 left.

Trenton Hassell’s jumper for Minnesota with just over two minutes remaining then made it an 85-83 contest. However, Jack later responded with a layup with just over one minute remaining to put Portland back ahead by four.

Davis’ steal and long jumper with 30 ticks left pulled Minnesota to within 87-85 and Portland’s Steve Blake’s jumper out of a timeout was no good. However, Theo Ratliff pulled down the offensive rebound and Blake was fouled. He hit both free throws with 0.3 seconds left to account for the final score.

The Trail Blazers began the third quarter by scoring seven of the first 11 points to take a 53-47 edge and Juan Dixon’s basket later put Portland ahead 57-52 with 3:54 left in the frame.

Back-to-back buckets by Garnett and Mark Blount brought Minnesota to within 59-57 with 1:23 remaining in the third, and the two squads exchanged baskets for the rest of the frame as Portland carried a 65-61 lead into the fourth stanza.

The two teams were tied at 22-22 after the first quarter and Portland took a slim 46-43 lead into the half. A three-point play by Jack gave the Trail Blazers a 35-28 lead midway through the second frame, the largest advantage by either team during the first half.

Portland later held a 41-35 edge with 2:14 remaining, but the Timberwolves netted the next five points to get within one and eventually trailed by three at the break.

Game Notes

Garnett’s field-goal percentage in the game (.923 percent) was the best in franchise history, topping the previous record of .917 held by Garnett, Tom Gugliotta and Rasho Nesterovic...Dixon finished with 14 points and six rebounds...Hassell netted 10 points and dished out five assists...Portland outrebounded Minnesota 46-35.