Wolves record: 18-35
Led by Sebastian Telfair’s 30 points and eight assists, the Wolves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 111-104 victory over the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena. It was Minnesota’s first win since Jefferson’s season-ending injury on Feb. 8.
The Wolves squandered an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter but withstood the Heat’s comeback and held on for only their second win this month.
Minnesota made 14 three-pointers, and five players scored in double figures. Ryan Gomes added 20 points.
Funny, but Telfair delivered a performance in many ways unlike any other in his five-year career on the same night he clobbered Miami’s Mario Chalmers in a head-to-head matchup and on the same day Internet reports suggested the Wolves are pursuing Chicago point guard Kirk Hinrich before today’s 2 p.m. trade deadline arrives.
Chalmers is the rookie more than a few Wolves fans lament as the one that got away after the team picked him and traded him to the Heat on draft night last summer.
“I didn’t know that,” Telfair said. “He’s a good player, but I think we’ve got some point guards over here.”
Dwyane Wade finished with 37 points and 12 assists for Miami. Udonis Haslem added 17 points for the Heat, and O’Neal – who sustained a right eye injury in the third quarter and missed 13 minutes before returning late – had 13 in his first game since being acquired from Toronto last week…
Kevin Love had 16 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota. Foye had 14 points for the Timberwolves, who also got seven points, nine rebounds and nine assists from Mike Miller and 10 rebounds off the bench from Brian Cardinal.