Sports / Basketball |
Davis lifts T-Wolves over 76ers(AP)Updated: 2006-12-04 11:21 PHILADELPHIA - Ricky Davis couldn't shut up the few courtside Philly fans gesturing and yapping at him in the fourth quarter. His clutch baskets and some sharp 3-point shooting from Mike James was more than enough to quiet the skidding 76ers. Davis scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 95-84 win over Philadelphia on Sunday night. "When someone comes up and plays big in the fourth, that's what we need," Davis said. The Timberwolves had a pair of players leading the fourth-quarter charge to stop a three-game losing streak. James and Davis combined to lead the Timberwolves' push, turning into a potent 1-2 punch that knocked out the Sixers in front of a sparse home crowd and dreary atmosphere. James made three 3-pointers in the quarter and teamed with Davis to score 23 of Minnesota's 27 points, helping the Timberwolves get a road win for only the third time in nine games. James finished with 20 points. Allen Iverson, fined last week for skipping a bowling event, led the Sixers with 26 points. Samuel Dalembert had 15 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Webber 11 points and nine rebounds. The Sixers have lost four straight and 11 of 13 since starting the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. That year ended with an Eastern Conference title for Philadelphia. This one might land them in the lottery. "I don't have any answers for what's going on," Iverson said. "We're not having no fun out there on the basketball court. That has a lot to do with losing." This time, it was Davis' turn to extend Philadelphia's misery. When Davis wasn't jawing with taunting front-row fans, he was knocking down baskets from all over the court to boost Minnesota's lead early in the fourth. He opened the quarter with an 18-footer, hit his first 3-pointer of the game, and sank two free throws for a 75-67 lead. Davis enjoyed the give-and-take with the Philly faithful. "Yeah, it was nice," he said. "It got me going a little bit and I appreciate it." When Davis converted a three-point play late in the fourth he gave the Timberwolves something to really appreciate — their first double-digit lead, 83-73. James added two of his 3s late in the quarter to provide some cushion and Minnesota shot 52 percent overall from the floor. "I shoot hundreds of those shots every day and I put the work in, so it's only right when I come into the game that I shoot with confidence," James said. The Timberwolves outrebounded the Sixers by eight and became the latest team to exploit Philadelphia's woeful defense. Iverson and Garnett carried their teams for most of the first three quarters in a tight game where neither team could build a lead larger than six points. Davis sank an 18-footer in the final minute of the third to help put the Timberwolves ahead entering the fourth. "We knew come the fourth we wanted to make a bigger push, take the lead and be aggressive," Garnett said. Minnesota did all three, and left the Sixers wondering what they can do to win. "This is not the way it was supposed to be," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "It's not what I envisioned. Our effort on the floor tonight wasn't good enough. We're still searching for an answer." |
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