Sports / Basketball |
Garnett enjoys return to old ball in Minnesota victory(Reuters)Updated: 2007-01-02 13:53 NEW YORK - Kevin Garnett had 32 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 102-96 road win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday, as the league welcomed the return of the old leather ball. The NBA introduced a synthetic ball at the start of the season, but following a number of complaints from players, the old ball was reintroduced from the first day of the year. Garnett was one of the most vocal opponents of the new ball and he looked far more comfortable in the first game with the older model, shooting 12-for-18 from the field and scoring 13 of his points during the fourth quarter. The T-Wolves star had shot just 38 percent from the field in his previous four games and his scoring numbers had been down all season. However, his big fourth quarter helped Minnesota overcome a 10-point deficit and the T-Wolves out-scored the Bobcats 34-18 in the final frame. Ricky Davis added 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Minnesota, who trailed by as many as 20 points in the second quarter. Mark Blount chipped in with 21 points for the Timberwolves, who moved back to within a game of the .500 mark at 14-15. Matt Carroll led the Bobcats with 23 points, but Charlotte lost for the 22nd time in 31 games this season. Raymond Felton added 22 points and nine assists and Adam Morrison had 18 points. Emeka Okafor hauled down 14 rebounds for the Bobcats and also had 12 points, as Charlotte shot 52 percent from the field to 49 percent for Minnesota. *Tony Allen scored 22 points as the Boston Celtics snapped a six-game losing streak with a 89-81 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland has lost three straight. |
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