Al Jefferson had 22 points and eight rebounds and Rashad McCants
scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half of Minnesota’s 110-103
victory Sunday over a Utah team that just can’t seem to win on the road.
scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half of Minnesota’s 110-103
victory Sunday over a Utah team that just can’t seem to win on the road.
Corey Brewer tied a career high with 16 points and had seven
rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have now beaten the Jazz at home
twice this season, losses that are inexcusable for a team that hopes to
contend for the Western Conference crown.
Wolves record: 19-53
Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune game recap
The Wolves improved to 15-12 when leading at the start of the fourth quarter.
"Early in the year, that was a big problem for us,"
Wolves forward Al Jefferson said about closing out games. "We’re
growing up. We’re getting better and better. Beat a team like this two
times in a row at home, that says lot."
Wolves forward Al Jefferson said about closing out games. "We’re
growing up. We’re getting better and better. Beat a team like this two
times in a row at home, that says lot."
The latest victory over the short-handed Jazz, who
played without starters Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur, came in large
part because the Wolves held their composure.
played without starters Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur, came in large
part because the Wolves held their composure.
Wittman kept reserves Rashad McCants and Kirk Snyder, moved out of the
starting lineup Sunday after 13 consecutive starts, on the floor for
the entire fourth quarter and paired them down the stretch with
Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Marko Jaric, who moved from shooting guard to
play point guard against Williams, Utah’s sizable point guard.
starting lineup Sunday after 13 consecutive starts, on the floor for
the entire fourth quarter and paired them down the stretch with
Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Marko Jaric, who moved from shooting guard to
play point guard against Williams, Utah’s sizable point guard.
McCants vexed Utah’s defense repeatedly on pick-and-roll plays, and
Snyder led the way with the hustle plays.
Snyder led the way with the hustle plays.
Behind a balanced offense and some feisty defense, the Wolves beat Utah
108-103 for the second-straight time this season in Minneapolis. The
two biggest plays of the game for the Wolves came first on a Marko
Jaric three with 2:20 remaining, and second when Kirk Snyder slithered
in for an and-1 with 45 seconds left to put Minnesota up 104-98.
108-103 for the second-straight time this season in Minneapolis. The
two biggest plays of the game for the Wolves came first on a Marko
Jaric three with 2:20 remaining, and second when Kirk Snyder slithered
in for an and-1 with 45 seconds left to put Minnesota up 104-98.
That is, until Rashad McCants responded to a Carlos Boozer layup with a
17-foot jumper with 16.1 seconds left to ice the game and stick a
mini-wrench in Utah’s push for playoff seeding.
17-foot jumper with 16.1 seconds left to ice the game and stick a
mini-wrench in Utah’s push for playoff seeding.
For this one game, it seems as if Corey Brewer learned how to play in the offense by sitting on the bench behind Kirk Snyder. Snyder has played well since arriving in Minnesota, but in his first start in awhile, Brewer showed he has made strides in his development. Again, there is much more to do, but Brewer is on his way.
The Wolves ended the month with their seventh victory in March, and
their first over a team with a winning record bound for the playoffs.
They did it by winning for a fourth consecutive time after took a lead
into the fourth quarter, a particularly troublesome situation for them
earlier in the season when they lost eight of their first 13 games when
they led after three quarters.
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