MINNEAPOLIS, March 21 (Ticker) -- The Denver Nuggets appeared helpless at the feet of Kevin Garnett.

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Garnett collected 20 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in just 31 minutes as the Timberwolves cruised to a 98-77 rout of the fading Nuggets.

Garnett became the 17th player in NBA history with 13,000 points, 7,000 rebounds and 300 assists.

"We came out aggessive from the jump," Garnett said. "I was trying to do a really good jump of starting, being assertive and making them focus on me."

The Timberwolves went to Garnett early and often and he responded by making 6-of-8 shots for 14 points in the first quarter, when Minnesota opened a 24-15 lead.

"I thought with KG in there as the '1', we were very difficult to defend," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. "It pulls their big men from the basket. I thought that unit functioned pretty well."

The Timberwolves allowed just 10 points in the second quarter, building a 47-25 lead at the half. The 25 points was a team record low for a half, breaking the previous mark of 24 against Charlotte in 1990.

"That was a big win for us," said Timberwolves forward Wally Szczerbiak, who scored 18 points. "We came out and established what we needed to do defensively, and had a big lead at halftime and built on it. That's what good teams do."

The Nuggets lost for the 13th time in 17 games and fell into ninth place in the Western Conference, one-half game behind idle Utah.

"We need to win, plain and simple," Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "We simply need to win. We need to respond."

Sam Cassell added 18 points for Minnesota, which ripped off an 18-7 spurt in the final six minutes of the third quarter to extend the lead to 73-47.

Rookie Carmelo Anthony scored 13 points and Earl Boykins added 11 for the Nuggets, who suffered their eighth straight loss to the Timberwolves and completed an 0-3 road trip.

"Lately, it seems we're going through the motions out there," Anthony said. "I guess everybody will wake up now."

Denver shot under 31 percent (25-of-81) from the field, including just 2-of-11 from 3-point range.