RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- LaPhonso Ellis looks like a worthy
replacement for Joe Smith.
Ellis tipped in the winning basket with 3 seconds left and had a
season-high 16 points and 12 rebounds to help the Timberwolves beat
the Vancouver Grizzlies 101-100 Wednesday night for their fifth
consecutive win.
|  | | Chauncey Billups (4) returned to his shooting guard position and scored 21 points for Minnesota. |
Mike Bibby did his best to snap Minnesota's streak, scoring a
career-best 37 points on 14-of-18 shooting. After Ellis threw the
ball away with 1:08 remaining, Bibby tied it at 97 with 59 seconds
left.
Kevin Edwards followed Kevin Garnett's two free throws with a
3-pointer to put the Grizzlies up 100-99.
Ellis, whom Minnesota signed after the news broke about Smith's
illegal contract negotiations, took a few weeks to shake off the
rust. Two days after Smith -- whose contract was terminated by NBA
commissioner David Stern last month -- signed with Detroit, the
oft-injured Ellis played his best game of the season.
Ellis, who spent the last two seasons in Atlanta, knows his role
with his new team.
"You need an energy guy to come off the bench," Ellis said.
"(Kevin Garnett) is the franchise, Terrell (Brandon) is the
leader. I have to come in and sacrifice my body. I'm just trying to
go out and do different things. I was fortunate to get some
offensive rebounds and get some scoring down low."
Minnesota coach Flip Saunders was most pleased with the
enthusiasm Ellis brought to the floor Wednesday.
"What I like is when you have players who have versatility,"
Saunders said. "He hasn't played much. When you start playing
more, you get back to the point where you start bringing some
intensity. He has the ability to grab a rebound and the ability to
score down low."
Chauncey Billups, who returned to his shooting guard position
and had all but two of his 21 points in the second half, said he
has always admired Ellis' game.
"I grew up watching him," Billups said. "I knew once he got
his legs under him, once he got the conditioning down, that he'd
give us a big boost. The guy's a warrior out there."
With Brandon reclaiming the point guard spot after a four-game
absence, Billups scored 12 points in the third period as the Wolves
crept away after trailing 50-47 at the half. After Garnett hit two
free throws with 1.8 seconds left in the period, Ellis stole the
inbounds pass from former Minnesota player Doug West and dunked the
ball just before the buzzer to put Minnesota up 79-72.
"It was impromptu," Ellis said. "Terrell was face-guarding
their guard, so he couldn't throw it to him. They lofted it in
there, and I got a good break on the ball."
Brandon chipped in 11 points after returning from an ankle sprain,
but he and backup William Avery had difficulty defending Bibby.
Bibby surpassed the 2,000 point mark for his career and has 2,017
in his third season.
Missing backcourt mate Michael Dickerson for the second straight
game, Bibby hit from everywhere on the court, making 9 of his 11
shots in the first half.
"I could tell from my first couple shots that if I got the
shot, it was going to go in," Bibby said.
Saunders credited Bibby for shooting well when he was closely
guarded.
"In the second half, we were contesting his shots, but he was
shooting like there wasn't a defense there," Saunders said.
Garnett got 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Rasho Nesterovic
added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim added 22 points for Vancouver, which lost
its sixth straight.
Game notes
The Wolves scored a season-high 32 points in the third
quarter. ... Minneapolis hosted the lowest-scoring game in NBA
history 50 years ago Wednesday when the Fort Wayne Pistons edged
the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18. ... Minnesota scored at least 20
points in each quarter for the first time this season. ...
Vancouver coach Sidney Lowe found himself in the unusual position
of being on the visitor's bench at Target Center. Lowe played for
Minnesota in its inaugural season (1989-90), served as the Wolves
head coach from 1992-94 and also spent time as a television analyst
for the team. He spent last year as a Wolves assistant under Flip
Saunders. "I try not to dwell on it," Saunders said before the
game. "It was good to see him. I told him I hope he gets on a roll
after tonight."
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NBA Scoreboard
Vancouver Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 96
Houston 81
Atlanta 78
New York 74
Charlotte 88
Philadelphia 73
Cleveland 86
Miami 67
Portland 93
Milwaukee 84
Minnesota 101
Vancouver 100
San Antonio 112
Seattle 85
Phoenix 97
New Jersey 85
Utah 116
Denver 78
LA Lakers 111
Golden State 91
Sacramento 100
Chicago 71
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