| Wolves Burned by Suns Authored by Jacob Maxson - April 2, 2005 - 12:39 am
The Timberwolves lost 107-98 to the phoenix suns on Friday night as Steve Nash continued to make his case for MVP. Despite tight defense and great coverage all night by Cassell and the Wolves, Nash somehow found a way to keep the scorekeepers busy. He scored 28 points in the game, 12 of which came in the last nine minutes.
Minnesota played a great game however, keeping the game close until the final two minutes when the Suns pulled away. Shoeless Joe Johnson hit a 3-pointer on an assist from Nash as the shot clock expired with 1:50 left in the 4th to seal the deal. The alley-oop from Nash to Marion only moments later didn’t help Minnesota’s cause either.
In the second quarter, Timberwolves fans everywhere were ready to change the channel until the Wolves went on a 22-2 run, ending the first half with a 49-46 lead. Sam Cassell has officially made his come-back. He showed his veteran composure and consistency, and is rekindling his love affair with Minnesota fans everywhere. He may well be the x-factor that slips Minnesota into the Western Conference Play-offs.
Wally chipped in with a solid 17 points, while KG had his usual double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 15 boards. Eddie Griffin had 12 points and 15 rebounds, added to Trenton Hassell’s 15 points contributing to a well rounded offensive effort by the Wolves.
The bad news is Minnesota lost, and both Denver and Memphis won. The good news is Memphis has a much more difficult schedule ahead of them than the Wolves, playing Dallas twice, Denver twice, Miami, Houston, and San Antonio. This gives Minnesota a window of opportunity. Denver is in, it’s a done deal. Memphis is still vulnerable, and the Wolves have won five of their last six, their only loss coming to the Suns, who have the best record in the league.
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