Timberwolves Pull Together for Victory

The Minnesota Timberwolves knew they needed a team effort without top scorer and rebounder Kevin Garnett on Tuesday night, especially on the road against the Dallas Mavericks.

Chauncey Billups and Wally Szczerbiak stepped up to the challenge.

Billups scored 24 of his career-high 36 points in the third quarter, and Szczerbiak had 31 as Minnesota rallied for a 117-100 victory.

“I had to keep pressure on the offensive end, and I did that,” said Billups, playing his fifth game as the starting point guard since previous starter Terrell Brandon went down with a left leg injury. “The team fed off my energy. Wally started getting hot. Everybody played well.”

The victory moved Minnesota within a half-game of first-place Dallas in the Midwest Division.

Garnett was in South Carolina to attend the funeral of his grandfather on Tuesday morning and was unable to get to Dallas for the game.

“I told our guys that even without [Garnett], we wanted to share the ball so that we wouldn’t be predictable,” Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders said. “Offensively, I told our guys to be aggressive, and Chauncey and Wally were aggressive. We were going to find a way to hang in there.”

Steve Nash scored 24 points, and Adrian Griffin 15 for the Mavericks, who had won eight of their previous 11 games against the Timberwolves.

Sacramento 99, Atlanta 79--Chris Webber had 19 points and 12 rebounds as the Kings pulled away in the fourth quarter for a victory over the Hawks at Sacramento.

Vlade Divac added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings, who outscored Atlanta, 30-13, in the fourth quarter.

Sacramento, which had its 20-game home winning streak ended Sunday night by Seattle, improved to 28-2 at home.

New Jersey 123, Golden State 115--Jason Kidd had 26 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds for his league-high sixth triple-double, and 44th of his career, to lead the Nets over the Warriors at East Rutherford, N.J.

Lucious Harris had 19 points as New Jersey finished with seven players in double figures in winning their third consecutive game, and sending the Warriors to their eighth consecutive road loss and 16th in 17 games.

San Antonio 99, Memphis 93--Tim Duncan scored 23 points, including the last six points in overtime, and had 12 rebounds as the Spurs won at San Antonio.

Antonio Daniels had 19 points and David Robinson had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs, who have defeated the Grizzlies 17 consecutive times.

Seattle 103, Phoenix 91--Rashard Lewis and Brent Barry each scored 18 points at Phoenix as the SuperSonics handed the Suns their fourth consecutive loss.

The loss was the second in as many games since Frank Johnson replaced Scott Skiles as Sun coach on Sunday, and dropped the Suns (25-28) three games under .500 for the first time this season.

Clifford Robinson of the Detroit Pistons was suspended for one game after pleading guilty to driving while under the influence of alcohol, violating Arizona state law. Robinson will miss the Pistons’ home game against Washington tonight.... Michael Jordan did not have his knee drained and is instead relying on ice and rest to soothe the ailing joint that will force him to miss a game for only the second time this season. Jordan did not travel with the Washington Wizards to Detroit for tonight’s game. He plans to play in Thursday’s home game against New Jersey.