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Timberwolves snap skid, topple Grizzlies

Mar 12, 2009 - 3:22 AM MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- It had been exactly three weeks since the Minnesota Timberwolves had been on the winning side of things, but they finally put an end to their lengthy losing streak Wednesday night.

The T-Wolves snapped a 10-game skid with 104-79 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies, their first since February 18.

"It feels great," Minnesota forward Kevin Love said. "Like Mike Miller said after the game, this is why we should win, because we all feel great in the locker room."

Apparently they'd had enough. They practically couldn't miss early on, storming ahead by double digits in the game's opening minutes with a hot shooting performance unusual for a club that came into the day as the second-worst shooting team in the NBA.

"We started off good and maintained it," Minnesota coach Kevin McHale said. "Guys made shots, which helps, but they played hard and had good ball movement. We were very focused."

Minnesota made eight of its first 10 shots, opening up a 25-10 advantage midway through the opening quarter. It was forwards Mike Miller and Ryan Gomes doing most of the damage early on. Gomes buried a 3-pointer, a mid-range jumper and a pair of layups, including one that he converted into a three-point play.

And that was just in the first 6 1/2 minutes. Miller added eight points, including a three of his own, during that span as the T-Wolves seized control.

"Don't talk about the first quarter. The game was humiliating and embarrassing from start to finish," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said.

"We did not want to play, and I don't want to hear anything about how they were shorthanded or we had a mentality that they were shorthanded. I don't care who we would have played tonight. With that effort, we would have gotten our butts handed to us."

The Grizzlies engineered a 10-run in the second quarter to pull to within single digits and cut their deficit to three early in the third, but the T-Wolves wouldn't be pushed around quite that easily. Miller answered with a driving layup to spark a 10-1 run that put Minnesota back in the driver's seat.

"It was the most disappointing loss and game we've had here," Hollins said. "Forget (the) loss, it was the most disappointing game, embarrassing for me as a coach and I hope it was embarrassing for them as a team."

The Timberwolves put the game on ice with a scoring flurry down the stretch. Their 13-2 surge in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter opened up a 23-point lead. Gomes buried a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer and Brian Cardinal knocked down back-to-back threes, giving his team an 86-63 lead.

Gomes led all scorers with 25 points for the Timberwolves, while Miller added 18 and 11 boards and rookie forward Kevin Love chipped in 19 and 11.

"I thought Ryan was tremendous all night long. He's been in a really good groove," McHale said. "I thought Kevin played very well tonight, rebounded very well."

O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 18 points.