Timberwolves Win Buzzer-Beater

April 19, 1998 / 1:23 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Tom Hammonds' game-winning shot was a perfect sendoff as the Minnesota Timberwolves head to the NBA playoffs.

Hammonds hit a turning, fadeaway jumper from the baseline as time expired Saturday night to give the Wolves a 111-109 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular-season finale for both teams.

"I was just in the right place at the right time," Hammonds said after finishing with 17 points on 5-for-11 shooting.

Hammonds' 18-footer spoiled Ray Allen's career-high 40 points for Milwaukee, which is headed for their seventh straight trip to the NBA draft lottery.

"I don't think he even saw the bucket," said Allen, who was 15-of-27 from the field, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range. "The last thing on my mind all summer is that shot."

The Wolves, who clinched the seventh seed in the Western Conference Friday night when they beat the Houston Rockets, will face either the Seattle Supersonics or the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Minnesota's game plan was to rest Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett and get some playing time for the others as the Wolves head into the playoffs for the second straight season.

"The whole game had a different atmosphere to it," said Garnett, who finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. "We knew who was going to sit out and we just sat back and enjoyed the game."

Beside Hammonds, the Wolves also got a big lift from rookie DeJuan Wheat and Reggie Jordan.

Wheat had season-highs with 19 points, eight assists and three steals while Jordan added a season-high 18 points in his first start of the season.

Minnesota played without Cherokee Parks (left hip), Stanley Roberts (sore back) and Michael Williams (sore right knee).

"It was a great win from the standpoint that we played a lot of guys who haven't played much and really gave us a great effort," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said after the Minnesota won for the 12th time in its last 16 games. "Today, we played how we played really the last six weeks."

The Bucks cut a nine-point deficit to 106-104 on Allen's sixth 3-pointer and a dunk by Jerald Honeycutt with 3:45 left to play.

Terry Porter, who had 13 points, made two free throws for Minnesota. Allen answered with a free throw and a shot he flipped in while falling down to pull Milwaukee within 108-107 with 1:14 remaining.

After a miss by Minnesota's Anthony Peeler, who had 16 points, the Bucks called a timeout. Allen worked the ball to Armon Gilliam, who put in his own miss and gave Milwaukee a 109-108 lead with 40 seconds left.

Porter split the Bucks' defense on a strong drive to the basket. He was fouled by Gilliam and made one free throw to tie the game with 30 seconds left.

The Wolves forced Giliam, who finished with 18 points, to miss a tough shot in the paint and that set up Hammonds' winning shot after which he was buried under a pile of jubilant teammates.

"This was a game where neither team played any serious defense," Bucks coach Chris Ford said after Milwaukee finished 36-46, a three-game improvement over last season.

Terrell Brandon, who missed 50 games for the Bucks with a sprained ankle, had 20 points.

Notes: Allen, the only Buck to start every game this season, was 4-for-4 from 3-point range and had 18 of Milwaukee's 36 points in the first quarter. ... Garnett started every game for Minnesota and Marbury, Sam Mitchell and Porter appeared in all of them. ... San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds attended the game. ... The Wolves have finished the regular season on the road six of the last nine years. ... Minnesota had six players score in double figures.