MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 27 (Ticker) -- Kevin Garnett was a triple threat
against the Sacramento Kings.
Garnett, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week,
registered 20 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists as the
Minnesota Timberwolves snapped the Kings' six-game winning
streak, 90-74.
"This was a huge game for us, and we came out and played and did
the things that we are accustomed to doing," said Garnett,
whose team is about to embark on a season-high six-game road
trip. "Some nights we make it look hard for ourselves. It's
important we carry the momentum over to the road trip."
It was the eighth career triple-double and second this season
for Garnett, who recorded his league-best 14th double-double
while leading the Timberwolves to a fourth win in five games.
"He is underrated, in my opinion, because he does so many great
things on the floor," Minnesota guard Troy Hudson said. "A lot
of players in the league are rated on their scoring ability. KG
comes out every night and gets you 20-25 points, 14-15 rebounds
and five or six assists. There aren't too many guys in the
league doing that. If you ask me, he's the best in the league
right now."
Minnesota began the game on a 23-4 burst and, paced by Kendall
Gill's 10 points, led 29-10 after one quarter.
Sacramento stormed back in the second quarter, climbing within
three before Minnesota took a 43-38 advantage into halftime. The
Kings lost forward Hedo Turkoglu to a sprained right wrist 1:18
into the second quarter after he landed awkwardly following a
collision with Minnesota's Joe Smith in the paint.
X-rays were negative, but Turkoglu could be out for as much as
two weeks.
"I thought he had really hurt himself," Kings coach Rick Adelman
said. "I think we were all scared. I don't really know the
extent of it right now. It's his right hand and his right
wrist. That obviously can't be good. It seems like we become
more and more shorthanded every time we go out."
"I'm tired of us being hurt," All-Star forward Chris Webber
said. "I really believe in my heart that in the long run, we'll
be better off because of it. I think this year we've won every
game on toughness. We've got guys playing hard but out of
position, and we're doing what we can."
Already playing without injured All-Star forward Peja
Stojakovic, the Kings appeared to run out of energy in the third
quarter, allowing the Timberwolves to take a 70-57 lead into
the final period. Sacramento got no closer than 11 points in
the fourth quarter.
"It's always tough when you get up big," Minnesota coach Flip
Saunders said. "It was the first time this year that we got up,
a team made a run and we established the game again. They're a
good team, no matter who they put on the floor."
"We didn't have it tonight," Adelman said. "We didn't have
enough energy to play. We just didn't play well. It's one of
those games. I don't know what it is about this arena. we just
have never played well here."
Gill scored 15 points, Gary Trent added 14 and Hudson 13 for the
Timberwolves, who beat Sacramento for the ninth time in 10
games at home.
"In the second half, we didn't panic when they made their run,"
Gill said. "Beforehand, a couple weeks ago, we probably
would've been throwing the ball all over the place. We didn't
do that tonight, and fortunately we came out and beat a good
team. That's something that we've been wanting to do."
Chris Webber contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds, Bobby
Jackson scored 13 points and Vlade Divac 10 and 10 rebounds for
Sacramento, which lost for just the second time in 11 games.
"We never play well in this building," said Jackson, who played
collegiately at nearby Minnesota but made only 4-of-16 shots.
"I was cold. I said it from the beginning. I had no feel or
rhythm. I don't know if it's because it's cold in this arena,
but I couldn't get my grip on the ball and I just couldn't find
my rhythm. I think we might have to turn the temperature down
in our practice arena and try to play when it's cold, because we
never play well here."
Neither team shot the ball well. Minnesota connected on just 39
percent (36-of-92), while Sacramento shot 38 percent
(31-of-81). The Timberwolves made only 1-of-6 3-pointers and
the Kings 1-of-10.
But the Kings were particularly anemic at the line, making just
11-of-24 free throws. The Timberwolves made 17-of-20 from the
stripe.
"We didn't shoot well at any point of the game," Adelman said.
"We had way too many misses early, and they were quite hot
early. Somehow we got back in it at the half, but we just
didn't have enough energy to keep it going the entire game."







