| Wolves Swat Hornets Authored by Jacob Maxson - March 24, 2005 - 1:13 am
With Troy Hudson's hot first quarter shooting giving Minnesota a nice early lead, the Timberwolves were able defeat the Hornets 107-102 on Wednesday night.
There are only 13 games left in the regular season, and from here on out every game counts. The Wolves are only 2 games back from the Denver Nuggets, who retain that coveted eighth and final playoff spot.
At one point Minnesota had a comfortable 20-point lead, only to allow the Hornets to battle back within four points. If this team is going to make the play-offs, they cannot hand their opponents these golden opportunities. They need to finish off each game as strong as they start.
"We're nursing those leads a little bit," coach Kevin McHale said. "We just have to play better defense."
With Denver playing phenomenal basketball over the last couple weeks, and winning 12 of 13, Minnesota needs a little luck along with a winning record to get a play-off birth.
"Every game is a playoff game for us right now," Fred Hoiberg said after Wednesday's match-up. "Especially with Denver playing the way they're playing."
Once again Kevin Garnett had a stellar performance.
With his 24 points, 13 boards, and 5 assists, he was named player of the game. Wally Szczerbiak had a quiet night, while Sam Cassell came up with a solid 14 points, and four assists. Sam's return is a welcome addition to this team right now. He may well provide that spark they've been desperately searching for. |
