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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- With Shaquille O'Neal on the bench, the
Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers had one superstar
apiece.
|  | | With Shaquille O'Neal absent, Kevin Garnett found enough room in the middle to score 21 points. |
The Timberwolves had a better idea how to use Kevin Garnett. He
scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Wednesday night as the Wolves beat the Lakers 96-83 for their franchise-record eighth straight victory.
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant faced a succession of defenders while
scoring 24 points, one night after scoring 47 against the Cleveland
Cavaliers.
"They did become predictable," said Wolves coach Flip Saunders, whose career record against the Lakers improved to 3-17. "They're so used to having Shaq around, it's a big difference when he isn't."
The Wolves defeated the Lakers for the first time in eight
games, dating to Feb. 11, 1999.
The Lakers lost the second of three games without O'Neal, who is
sidelined with a foot injury. Los Angeles dropped its 16th game of
the season, surpassing last season's loss total.
"Last year is last year," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Come April 19, when the playoffs starts, is what matters. We just have to get ourselves through the season now."
The Timberwolves, who play Thursday at Cleveland, also took
little stock in their win streak.
"We have to keep playing scared," said Wolves point guard Terrell Brandon, who had 19 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. "We've worked too hard to become content. As quick as you can win eight in a row, you can lose eight in a row. You have
to understand that."
"We're winning games and still looking up in the standings,"
said Sam Mitchell, a nine-year Wolves veteran. "It just proves we
have to keep winning."
The Timberwolves led 62-44 with 7:12 remaining in the third
quarter, but the Lakers got back in the game with a 9-0 run. The
Lakers never got closer than nine points in the fourth quarter and
were never closer than eight points after the first quarter.
Garnett and LaPhonso Ellis, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds, each had double-doubles. Wally Szczerbiak added 19 points.
O'Neal, who has a tendon ailment in his right arch that makes it
difficult to push off the foot, is scheduled to see a foot
specialist after the team returns to Los Angeles on Thursday.
"He's 320 pounds running the floor -- that's a tough matchup for
anybody," said Lakers rookie Mark Madsen, who scored a career-high 15 points. "If Shaq has a bad game, it's 25 points and 15 rebounds."
O'Neal said he won't know whether he can play in the All-Star Game on Feb. 11 until after his meeting with Dr. Phil Kwong, the team's foot specialist.
Game notes
The Lakers' Horace Grant did not play because of a slight
knee injury. ... The Lakers' 113-112 overtime victory over the
Vancouver Grizzlies on Jan. 11 was upheld by the NBA, despite the
Grizzlies' protest. The Grizzlies argued that a clock malfunction
gave the Lakers an extra three-tenths of a second, allowing O'Neal
to make the deciding basket. ... Timberwolves assistant coach Jimmy
Williams missed the contest to attend the memorial service for the
10 members of the Oklahoma State basketball program, who died in a
plane crash last weekend. Williams was an OSU assistant last
season.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Hurting Lakers: Shaq, Kobe nursing injuries
RECAPS
Boston 102
Indiana 96
Orlando 100
Washington 96
Atlanta 102
Toronto 97
Detroit 112
New Jersey 103
Milwaukee 116
Denver 111
Minnesota 96
LA Lakers 83
San Antonio 92
LA Clippers 70
Phoenix 101
Vancouver 92
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Kobe Bryant Official Site
Rick Fox Official Site
Mark Madsen Official Site
Kevin Garnett Official Site
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