T'Wolves Too Much For Celtics

The Minnesota Timberwolves were feeling down after a weekend loss at home to the Los Angeles Clippers. They took it out on the Boston Celtics.

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Dennis Scott had 22 points as the Timberwolves continued Boston's slide with a 87-68 win over the Celtics on Wednesday night.

The loss was the 10th in 11 games for the Celtics, whose only win during the slide came against the Clippers last week.

"Right now it feels like a nightmare," Boston guard Ron Mercer said. "I wish it was."

After an embarrassing 113-86 loss in Cleveland on Tuesday, Boston coach Rick Pitino lambasted his team's defensive effort. On Wednesday, it wasn't defense that was the problem.

Kenny Anderson scored 16 points for Boston, which shot just 30.5 percent from the field.

"I didn't think it could get worse, but it just did," Pitino said. "I think our players can't feel very good about themselves. I think their self-esteem is about as low as possible."

Minnesota won for only the second time in seven games.

"We wanted to get the bad taste out of our mouths from the Clippers game," Timberwolves guard Terrell Brandon said.

"I know when a team's not playing well," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. "When teams are not shooting well and the crowd gets on you, things get worse."

After shooting 29 percent in te opening half, Boston fell behind by 27 points early in the final quarter. For most of the period, the crowd booed and jeered almost every Boston miss.

Minnesota, which led 42-34 at halftime, scored the first eight points of the third quarter and Boston never got within single digits the rest of the way.

The Celtics, who missed their first five shots of the second half, cut the margin to 54-44 on Anderson's jumper before the Timberwolves closed the quarter with a 13-6 run. Garnett had six points during the spurt.

Minnesota scored the first two baskets of the final quarter to push its lead to 71-50 with 9:58 to play.

Notes

Pitino said he had watched the film of Tuesday's loss and said he would not start a player who he felt was "humiliating the Boston Celtics." Against Minnesota, he went with his regular lineup. ... Boston's Antoine Walker shot just 1-for-14 from the field and is 3-for-29 in his last two games at the FleetCenter. ... Minnesota had dropped five of seven games since trading Stephon Marbury in a six-player, three-team deal. ... The Timberwolves play their next six games at home.

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