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Lakers-Wolves: 300k 
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Malone's return marked the first time since Dec. 21 that Los Angeles had its star-studded lineup of Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton intact. The 19-year veteran returned from a sprained MCL and scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting in 21 minutes.
"Karl looked great, he didn't miss a beat," Bryant said. "The exciting part is that this is the team that everyone came here for. We are working towards capping off the season the right way. We're dealing with very experienced players, 17 games should be enough for us."
"I felt really good, it didn't seem like 21 minutes" Malone said. "We were seesawing back and forth, and then Troy Hudson comes in and makes three threes in a row or something. He has a history of making big shots and tonight he was hitting them."
Hudson and Minnesota's reserves outscored L.A.'s bench, 35-17. The spark plug guard -- who lit up the Lakers for 37 points in a playoff game last year -- made 4-of-6 3-pointers, including three in the final four minutes of the third quarter, giving the Timberwolves a 74-69 lead.
"It's a showtime type of game," Hudson said. "I look forward to the big games. I think that's what we have to do every night as a bench -- come off and play free basketball with a lot of energy."
Hudson buried a 3-pointer to start the fourth period, triggering a 7-0 run. The Lakers got no closer than eight points thereafter.
Ex-Laker Mark Madsen came up big, scoring all six of his points in the fourth quarter and taking a key charge on Payton.
"We had a classic team effort out there tonight from everybody," Madsen said. "It was an important win becasue we have had some struggles on the road against teams (that) on paper that we should be beating."
Kevin Garnett scored 20 points and Sam Cassell added 17 and seven assists for the Timberwolves, who have beaten the Lakers three times in a row for the first time in franchise history. The 20,391 in attendance set a Target Center record.
"When Troy gets it going, it's a beautiful thing," Garnett said. "When he's aggressive, he opens up everything for everybody. Tonight I threw a little bit in his ear to be aggressive and he did that."
O'Neal led Los Angeles with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Bryant struggled in his second game back after aggravating an injury to his right shoulder. The All-Star guard scored 16 points on just 6-of-20 shooting, including 1-of-11 in the first half.
"Troy Hudson absolutely loves playing against us, for whatever reason," Bryant said. "But we could have easily won this game."
Malone did not play in the fourth quarter for precautionary reasons
"Twenty minutes was about what we wanted to see (from Malone)," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We'd like to have had him back in, but I don't think that was the right decision to make. With Karl out there on the floor, we feel like we played them even up."