RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) _ Christian Laetttner scored 15 points and Jermaine Jackson's steal with 5.9 seconds left clinched the Detroit Pistons' 99-96 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA preseason play Friday night.

Grant Hill and Jerry Stackhouse added 14 points each for the Pistons (4-1), whose reserves blew a 22-point lead before coming back for the win.

Rookie Wally Szczerbiak led the Timberwolves (2-4) with 20 points. But Minnesota's No. 1 draft choice cost his team its last chance at victory when, with the Pistons leading 97-96, his pass for William Avery was stolen by Jackson.

Jackson, a rookie free agent whose free throw put the Pistons ahead with 23.6 seconds left, passed ahead to Mikki Moore for a finishing dunk just before the final horn.

Kevin Garnett scored 17 points and Terrell Brandon 15 for the Timberwolves, who also got 11 each from Radoslav Nesterovic and Bobby Jackson.

Don Reid and Michael Curry both had 10 points for Detroit.

The Pistons dominated when their starters were in the game, opening their biggest lead of the night 64-42 on two free throws from Hill with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter. Hill left for good with 3:22 remaining, and Detroit coach Alvin Gentry had all his starters on the bench by the end of the period.

Garnett, limited to eight points through three quarters, took advantage of the Pistons' subs to score nine points in a 19-5 run that put the Timberwolves up 84-83 when he made two free throws with 5:55 left.

There were five ties and nine lead changes the rest of the way.

A short hook from Nesterovic gave the Timberwolves their last lead at 96-95 with 56.9 seconds remaining. Curry tied it with a free throw before Jackson split a pair to put the Pistons ahead for good.

Garnett had nine rebounds as the Timberwolves had a 48-40 edge on the boards, but the Pistons scored 17 points off 25 Minnesota turnovers.