Jan 31, 2002 10:42 AM EST
Wally Szczerbiak punched in 31 points for the Timberwolves last night, but the 76ers were able to break that code, battling to a 96-91 victory and again climbing over .500 (23-22).
The Sixers, with four victories in their last five games and eight in their last 10, also seemed to take another step toward relocating the code that helped drive them to 56 victories and the NBA Finals last season.
"We've got to see that fight guys had in their eyes last year,'' Allen Iverson said after generating 38 points of his own, the eighth time in 10 games he has reached 33 or more. "Last year, we could be 10 points down with 2 or 3 minutes left and we always felt we were going to win the game.
"We've got to get that same mentality back. We've got [opponents] we went through wars with last year that some of the [new] guys on the team know nothing about, don't know the severity of it. Once they get to know how real it is when certain teams try to play us, we'll be able to win those games.
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The focus, Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett said, was to distribute. To get center Rasho Nesterovic some "feels." To get forward Joe Smith some "feels." And especially to get guard Wally Szczerbiak some "feels."
"I was really (upset) about the fact that I couldn't help one of my teammates get more productive shots," Garnett said Wednesday, referring to Szczerbiak's 1-for-6 performance 24 hours earlier. "It haunted me all of last night, and I couldn't really sleep."
That might partly explain the final minutes of Minnesota's 96-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night at First Union Center.
After battling back from a 12-point third-quarter deficit and helping Szczerbiak score a team-high 31 points by the end of the game Garnett passed up two key shots in the final three minutes, something that eventually might haunt him more.
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To the uninitiated, all the silk-purse talk after the sow's ear of another Timberwolves defeat -- a 96-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday at First Union Center -- might have sounded suspiciously, even gallingly, like the stuff of moral victories.
Those things were supposed to have been abandoned by this franchise around the time Hootie and his blowfish were big.
Yet as a snapshot of where the Wolves were late Wednesday, compared with their predicament 24 hours earlier, the half-full vs. half-empty outlook might have been a necessary step.
Losing by five points to an NBA Finals team is a lot better than losing by 33 to lottery dwellers.
Having a chance to win in the final minute beats the heck out of garbage time that lasts a whole quarter. Getting one guy off offensively is progress for an attack that was thoroughly discombobulated in Cleveland.
So when coach Flip Saunders and the players started dropping buzzwords such as energy, confidence, competing, pride and restoring Wally Szczerbiak's scoring, their optimism in climbing out of a two-week hole raised more hopes than red flags.
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Timberwolves Jan 2002 Archive
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| Jan 31, 2002
Wally Szczerbiak, after his worst offensive night of the season Tuesday, had some gripes with the Timberwolves' attack.
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| Jan 30, 2002
For the better part of four months, the Timberwolves had much of the NBA crying uncle.
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| Jan 30, 2002
Branson Wright of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports: You figured it would only be a matter of time before the Cavaliers would roll into their routine of starting at warp speed and then falling on their faces in the second half.
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| Jan 29, 2002
Tip-off: 7 tonight at Gund Arena.
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| Jan 29, 2002
Andre Miller is a talented point guard.
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| Jan 29, 2002
One-man teams can win games in the NBA.
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| Jan 29, 2002
The images still are fresh in Wally Szczerbiak's mind, his ability to describe specific details as easy now as years ago.
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| Jan 29, 2002
For a 7-foot-1 player, Kevin Garnett's passing ability is more than just an oddity.
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| Jan 28, 2002
Bryant Stith didn't have this in mind when he signed with the Cavaliers during the off-season -- limited minutes, inconsistent shooting and 12 games on the injured list.
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| Jan 28, 2002
Seven seasons ago, Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon was in Chauncey Billups' position -- backing up an all-star, learning and improving, trying patiently to wait his turn.
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| Jan 28, 2002
Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett is going to the NBA All-Star Game.
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| Jan 28, 2002
He's alive! I knew it.
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| Jan 28, 2002
Forget about February and that superfluous NBA All-Star Game.
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| Jan 28, 2002
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| Jan 28, 2002
From time to time this season, Timberwolves center Dean Garrett's name has popped up in an out-of-town sports section or on a national Web site as a backup center some NBA club might pursue in trade.
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| Jan 25, 2002
On NBA Draft night 2001 Loren Woods was projected to be a late lottery pick, or mid-first rounder at best.
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| Jan 24, 2002
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| Jan 24, 2002
The quick and easy explanation for the Timberwolves' 104-83 loss to the Detroit Pistons Wednesday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills was this: They were due.
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| Jan 23, 2002
The NBA completed a six-year, $4.
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| Jan 23, 2002
Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon has said all the right things and has gone out of his way to avoid creating the slightest ripple of dissent since returning from knee surgery last weekend.
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| Jan 23, 2002
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| Jan 23, 2002
Robbi Pickeral of the Pioneer Press reports that Timberwolves guards Wally Szczerbiak and Anthony Peeler were teamed during some three-on-three practice last season and hit three-pointer after three-pointer as teammates tried in vain to outscore them.
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| Jan 22, 2002
Michael Jordan, whose comeback tour made its first and only stop of the season in Minnesota today, knows a good team when he sees one.
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| Jan 22, 2002
Michael Jordan's shots were falling short.
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| Jan 22, 2002
In the fall of 1996, Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders made an extremely bold statement.
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| Jan 22, 2002
More people crammed into Target Center Monday for a Timberwolves game than ever before.
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| Jan 21, 2002
Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon had been in the game barely five minutes Saturday night when he cut right toward the top of the key, lost his balance and fell hard on his surgically repaired left knee.
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| Jan 21, 2002
Nine days ago at MCI Center, Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett entered what he dubbed "the wonderful world of Michael's land'' and helped put a thumping on Michael Jordan's newest team, 108-100.
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| Jan 21, 2002
Michael Jordan, whose comeback tour made its first and only stop of the season in Minnesota today, knows a good team when he sees one.
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| Jan 20, 2002
Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton.
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| Jan 20, 2002
Thump went the bodies.
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| Jan 20, 2002
The Timberwolves, on recent trips into California, had fared so poorly, they were starting to wonder if it was San Andreas' fault.
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| Jan 20, 2002
The success the Timberwolves are having this season is amazing when you consider all this franchise has gone through in recent years.
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| Jan 20, 2002
Just because no one was rushing him back doesn't mean that Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon wasn't missed.
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| Jan 19, 2002
Let the All-Star coaching countdown begin.
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| Jan 19, 2002
In a game aching to belong to someone, anyone, Stephon Marbury was the obvious choice to grab it.
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| Jan 16, 2002
The Timberwolves can't get one of their games televised on TNT and haven't, despite their 28-9 record, captured the basketball world's attention.
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| Jan 16, 2002
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| Jan 15, 2002
Timberwolves guard Anthony Peeler has a good sense of timing.
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| Jan 15, 2002
Forward Joe Smith and guard Terrell Brandon took steps Monday toward returning to the Timberwolves' lineup.
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| Jan 15, 2002
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders saw the replays and said he does not condone Shaquille O'Neal throwing a roundhouse punch at the back of Chicago center Brad Miller's head.
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| Jan 14, 2002
And on the 12th day, the Minnesota Timberwolves rested.
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| Jan 14, 2002
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| Jan 13, 2002
The Timberwolves are awfully lucky they didn't trade Wally Szczerbiak during the offseason.
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| Jan 13, 2002
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said he thinks Wally Szczerbiak is worthy of an invitation to the NBA All-Star Game Feb.
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| Jan 13, 2002
Conventional wisdom says the true measure of the Timberwolves' season will come in late April, when they either advance in the playoffs to demonstrate that they are headed in the right direction or they get bounced in the first round for a sixth consecutive year.
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| Jan 13, 2002
WASHINGTON -- If there is such a thing as basketball sensory overload (BSO), the Timberwolves were guilty of inflicting it on anyone paying attention to them over a span of little more than 24 hours Friday and Saturday nights.
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| Jan 12, 2002
First place.
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| Jan 12, 2002
The Minnesota Timberwolves, trying to take the next step from playoff team to legitimate contender, made an impressive statement against the two-time defending NBA champions.
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| Jan 12, 2002
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| Jan 12, 2002
Gary Trent took a pass from Kevin Garnett for the last of those points, then landed awkwardly and turned his left ankle.
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| Jan 12, 2002
The Timberwolves have cut back a bit on playing zone defense, but not as much as it might appear.
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| Jan 12, 2002
This was not a statement game, they said.
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| Jan 11, 2002
Basketball is a game of matchups, they say, and on separate nights in a span of barely 24 hours, the Minnesota Timberwolves will take part in two of the NBA's most compelling.
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| Jan 10, 2002
For the Seattle SuperSonics, choosing whether to double-team the Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett or Anthony Peeler is like deciding between arsenic and hemlock: It's a lethal decision, either way.
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| Jan 10, 2002
With four minutes left in a tight game between the Seattle SuperSonics and Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, T-wolves guard Anthony Peeler found himself trapped in the corner with the shot clock winding down.
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| Jan 10, 2002
HIGHLIGHT: For the Timberwolves, Anthony Peeler hitting four of his six threes in a five-minute stretch spanning the first and second quarters.
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| Jan 10, 2002
Whether it's in Los Angeles or Minnesota, Tacoma Dome or KeyArena, seven years ago or now, Anthony Peeler is going to stick it to the Sonics.
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| Jan 10, 2002
Last season, the Sonics were one of the best shooting teams in the NBA, with three players among the top 10 in three-point accuracy.
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| Jan 10, 2002
Two Sonics players draped like a blanket over Minnesota's Anthony Peeler at the corner of the baseline.
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| Jan 10, 2002
Matchup - Seattle SuperSonics at Minnesota Timberwolves
When - 5 p.
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| Jan 9, 2002
If they somehow could win tonight, the Sonics would sweep their three-game road trip and return home with a strong likelihood of posting their 10th victory in 11 games against Cleveland on Friday.
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| Jan 9, 2002
When: Today, 5 p.
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| Jan 9, 2002
Reserve Felipe Lopez has a shown he has a pretty good handle on the ball, and on his newest role with the Timberwolves.
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| Jan 9, 2002
The Timberwolves are winning like never before.
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| Jan 9, 2002
Reserve Felipe Lopez has a shown he has a pretty good handle on the ball, and on his newest role with the Timberwolves.
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| Jan 9, 2002
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| Jan 8, 2002
After the Timberwolves' 109-93 blowout victory over the Detroit Pistons Monday night, Bachman Turner Overdrive's classic song "Taking Care of Business'' blared over the speakers at Target Center.
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| Jan 8, 2002
Injured Timberwolves forward Joe Smith hasn't lost his starting job -- yet.
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| Jan 8, 2002
Joe Smith is home with his beloved Timberwolves with a six-year, $34-million deal in his pocket.
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| Jan 8, 2002
The Timberwolves are 24-9, and star Kevin Garnett gives some of the credit to former Pistons forward Joe Smith.
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| Jan 8, 2002
He was part of the Timberwolves' organization, technically, for nearly five years, yet never played a game for them.
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| Jan 8, 2002
Three weeks ago, had Madame Cleo somehow slipped past security, set up shop in the Timberwolves locker room and informed them point guard Terrell Brandon would sit out the next 11 games and drag forward Joe Smith along for five, panic might have ensued.
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| Jan 8, 2002
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| Jan 8, 2002
Joe Smith isn't the only Piston to have been through the Minnesota Timberwolves organisation it seems.
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| Jan 7, 2002
Atlanta Hawks coach Lon Kruger sounded like someone reading a grocery list as he rattled off reasons the Timberwolves are one of the NBA's premier teams.
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| Jan 6, 2002
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| Jan 6, 2002
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| Jan 6, 2002
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| Jan 6, 2002
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| Jan 6, 2002
Timberwolves guard Wally Szczerbiak has been making a case for his first All-Star Game selection on the court.
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| Jan 6, 2002
It was awfully chilly in Philips Arena on Saturday night.
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| Jan 6, 2002
The odds were strong that the Timberwolves' Sam Mitchell was making his final appearance as an NBA player in his home state on Saturday night.
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| Jan 6, 2002
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders played Felipe Lopez at point guard for the first time on Friday night.
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| Jan 6, 2002
It was a night when Philips Arena was so cold the ice under the court felt warm, and the Hawks' hopes for a stunning upset were frozen by the glacial inevitability of the Minnesota blizzard
Close as the Hawks stayed much of the night, they gave in to the crunching power of a superior force as the Timberwolves chilled them, 112-96.
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| Jan 6, 2002
The Timberwolves defeated Atlanta 112-96 on Saturday night for their 10th road victory of this season.
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| Jan 6, 2002
The odds were strong that the Timberwolves' Sam Mitchell was making his final appearance as an NBA player in his home state on Saturday night.
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| Jan 6, 2002
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders played Felipe Lopez at point guard for the first time on Friday night.
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| Jan 5, 2002
He stomped.
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| Jan 5, 2002
Somewhere between the first half and the final few minutes Friday night, the bellows of "Wally!" from the Timberwolves bench gave way to the chants of "Wal-ly! Wal-ly!" from the Target Center rafters.
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| Jan 5, 2002
With 19 points and 15 rebounds Friday night, Kevin Garnett was not exactly kind to the Jazz.
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| Jan 5, 2002
A couple of cold starts and one very hot scorer conspired Friday night to do in the Jazz, who looked less than lukewarm in their first game back after a five-day break.
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| Jan 5, 2002
According to the NBA schedule, the Jazz played in Minnesota on Friday night.
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| Jan 5, 2002
He stomped.
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| Jan 5, 2002
Milwaukee coach George Karl touched on it when he came through town earlier this week: an arcane system for ranking teams based on the difficulty of their schedules at any given point.
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| Jan 4, 2002
They have been called old.
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| Jan 4, 2002
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders hasn't seen it.
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| Jan 4, 2002
They have been called old.
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| Jan 4, 2002
In the pecking order of entertainment value, the third quarter of an NBA game represents the nadir in fan interest, a time typically spent waiting in line at the restroom or concession stand.
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| Jan 3, 2002
Preferring to err on the side of caution, Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said point guard Terrell Brandon might miss "15 to 20" games before he's ready to return after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
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| Jan 3, 2002
The Wolves were a misstep from disaster without someone reliable to back Brandon.
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| Jan 2, 2002
Coach Flip Saunders said he might have used Garnett or Felipe Lopez, in addition to Avery, at the point.
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| Jan 2, 2002
In terms of manpower and quality of play, it's a good thing the pulled muscle in Timberwolves guard Chauncey Billups' rib cage has healed enough for him to play.
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| Jan 1, 2002
Timberwolves point guard Chauncey Billups, who has started the past seven games in place of injured Terrell Brandon, is probable to play Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, although his midsection likely will be wrapped tightly, like it was in the second half of Sunday's game at Portland.
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| Jan 1, 2002
With the Timberwolves on the verge of unraveling Sunday after three consecutive baskets by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half, guard Wally Szczerbiak hollered to his teammates in a raspy voice -- "Get back! Pick up your man!" -- as they built their defense.
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