Wolves record: 13-27
The Wolves (13-27) had to settle for two wins in their three-game western road trip, suffering their first loss in five road games in 2009 and losing their sixth straight in Salt Lake City since December 2005.
No surprise considering the Jazz are 85-18 at home since the start of the 2006-07 season. Their 17-4 home record this season is second only to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference.
Overall, it was a good trip for a team that still is rebuilding from the ashes of a 4-23 start. It could have been great, though, if only the Wolves had not sleepwalked through the first six minutes.
From the Associated Press:
The Jazz jumped out to a 12-0 lead as the Wolves couldn’t find the net until the 8:46 mark when Telfair finally made a jumper.
“We spotted them too many points. Got down by 14 points in the third, but we fought back hard,” McHale said.
Once Minnesota got going, the Jazz could not shake the Wolves.
The Jazz never led by double-digits in the fourth quarter and were aided by Minnesota’s free throw woes to escape. The Timberwolves missed five of seven foul shots in the final period.
Okur scored the winning basket in Kevin McHale’s debut as coach on Dec. 9, when the Wolves led by seven points with less than three minutes left and lost.
So much has happened — a five-game winning streak, seven victories in eight games and nine in 12 — since then. But Okur remained the constant on Tuesday, beating the Wolves this time by making consecutive three-pointers with less than three minutes left after the Wolves had used a 7-0 run to pull within a point.
“He’s the guy who beat us last time,” forward Al Jefferson said.
– Rodney Carney was held scoreless for the first time since Dec. 29 (took just one shot). He scored five Monday at L.A. after averaging 17 in his previous four games.
– God love him and his people, but Mark Madsen’s presence makes every Wolves visit to Salt Lake City maddening because several yahoos spend all game calling for “Mad Dog” to get into the game. He didn’t again Tuesday.
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