[外電] Wolves: Latest attempt at upset fizzles out
http://www.startribune.com/511/story/979471.html
The better the quality of their competition, the better the Timberwolves seem
to play. And inevitably, or so it has gone this season, the worse their
opponents might be, the worse the Wolves look.
The confounding pattern -- beat Detroit, swoon to Atlanta, shock Phoenix,
sputter against Sacramento -- has gone on too long to be a fluke or a series
of coincidences. It was in effect Saturday night, too, with the Wolves giving
the Dallas Mavericks and their fans at the sold-out American Airlines Center
what might have been their biggest scare in nearly two months before losing
94-93.
Down by 17 points midway through the third quarter, and after spending most
of the second half trailing by about nine, the Wolves made a furious
too-little, too-late comeback that fizzled in the final minute. Thus, the
Mavericks were able to preserve and extend a home winning streak that began
in early December and stands at 15 in a row now.
The Wolves? They're 2-5 since Randy Wittman began working their sideline in
place of Dwane Casey. They've lost three in a row and nine of their past 11.
But they can't help feeling that, when some of these narrow misses start
tipping the other way, a bunch of them will follow.
"This is seven games that, we had a chance to win all seven," Wittman said.
"We've got to somehow get over the top. If we can stay together through this,
we can get this snowballing the other way."
There have been some clunkers along the way, missteps against clubs that
shouldn't have been so much trouble. But the Wolves (22-25) have been
sticking, or getting, close, with Saturday night's finish as dramatic as any
of them.
With Kevin Garnett shaking off first-half foul trouble and getting hot late,
the Wolves went on an 11-2 tear late in the fourth quarter, turning Dallas'
90-79 lead into 92-90 nervousness. They had the ball as the final minute
began, and moved it well, finding rookie Randy Foye open on the perimeter.
But his three-pointer bounced off.
Devean George's miss at the other end sent the Wolves into a timeout with 35
seconds left. When they emerged, they were hoping to find Garnett inside in a
mismatch with Josh Howard. Best-case scenario? The Mavericks would rush
someone to help, Garnett would kick the ball out and his team would get
another open look to tie or lead.
But the Wolves never did find Garnett. Ricky Davis drove the right baseline,
got grabbed in the lane and lost control. Garnett got his hands on the ball
but he, too, got grabbed and lost it. There were no whistles.
"I've got rip marks across my arm," Garnett said.
Said Davis: "Late in the game, it's kind of tough making that call, so I'm
not surprised."
Dirk Nowitzki -- contained offensively as he rarely has been (5-for-14 for 18
points) wound up on the foul line and sank both to make it 94-90. Davis
missed from 15 feet, Howard heaved the ball to the backcourt and Foye
retrieved it, the Wolves' hopes ticking away. The rookie hit a three-pointer
from 28 feet to make it a one-point game, but even at four, it was a better
way to finish than fizzling by nine or 17.
Howard and Jason Terry scored 22 each to lead Dallas, and the Mavericks
(39-9) beat the Wolves up inside (rebounds and scoring) for most of the
evening. Garnett ended up with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Davis scored
20. Dallas now has won 25 of its past 28 games and leads the season series
2-0.
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