First place in the Western Conference belongs to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who moved into that lofty position with an impressive performance at one of the league’s toughest arenas.
Sam Cassell scored 29 points and Kevin Garnett added 24 points and 17 rebounds as Minnesota moved ahead of Sacramento in race for the top seed in the Western Conference with a 94-86 victory Thursday night.
Minnesota rallied from an 11-point third-quarter deficit against the sloppy Kings, who were held to 17 fourth-quarter points.
The Timberwolves moved a half-game ahead of the Kings and 11/2 ahead of the idle Los Angeles Lakers.
The Timberwolves won the season series from Sacramento 3-1, giving them the tiebreaker edge.
Minnesota also has a more favorable schedule the rest of the way. The Kings host the Lakers in their final regular-season game at Arco Arena on Sunday before finishing on the road at Denver and Golden State.
Cassell scored with 1:59 left to make it 83-79 and also had two crucial rebounds in crunch time, including one on a missed layup by Mike Bibby with about 1:30 to play.
The Timberwolves, who had held their last five opponents to 81.6 points and 40-percent shooting, have gone 15 straight games without scoring 100 points.
Grant a playoff long shot
Horace Grant missed his second straight day of rehabilitation on his injured hip Thursday, making him a long shot to land on the Lakers’ playoff roster.
Grant, 38, had hoped to play when Los Angeles plays host to Memphis on Friday night, but his pain was so bad that he no longer foresees a return during the regular season.
“I’m going to take a couple days off from doing absolutely anything and see how it feels,” Grant said.
He was told three weeks ago that he needed surgery for the torn labrum in his hip but decided to hold off and try to rehabilitate the injury enough to play short stints in the postseason.
Grant has played only 10 minutes since March 2. He said he walked about three-quarters of a mile Wednesday and later felt as if a knife was stabbing him. “I’m very disappointed, but things happen like this,” he said. “You work hard and you want to get yourself into a position like this, meaning the playoffs, and you want to play and you’ll almost give your right arm for it and it’s just not happening right now.
“If it feels better than what it is now after I practice, I’ll try to give it a shot.”
Knicks’ Thomas fined
The NBA fined New York Knicks forward Tim Thomas $7,500 for publicly criticizing officials after New York’s loss at Indiana Tuesday night. Thomas was hit with a technical foul.
RESULTS, THURSDAY’S SYNOPSIS
Orlando 81 at New Jersey 101
Jason Kidd, in 1st start since March 18 (knee), banked in half-court shot at end of 3rd quarter to give Nets lead for good. Magic, loser of 12 in a row, assured of tie for worst NBA record.
Utah 94 at Dallas 117
Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and Antawn Jamison added 25, sending Mavs to 6th straight victory–averaging 121.7 pts in those games–and 50th of season. Dallas 35-5 at home.
Minnesota 94 at Sacramento 86
Chris Webber had 21 pts, 11 rebs for Kings. Bobby Jackson scored 10 in 13 minutes in 1st game back after missing 24 with strained abdominal muscle. Doug Christie added 12 pts.
