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T'Wolves top Kings, despite career night from Martin

Sat 8th, March 2008

Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - Rashad McCants scored 22 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 111-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena.

Al Jefferson poured in 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the T'Wolves, who put the brakes on a five-game losing streak. Craig Smith chipped in 18 points off the bench, while Ryan Gomes ended with 17.

Kevin Martin scored a career-high 48 points, including a Sacramento-record 22 free throws, but the Kings dropped their third in a row. Sacramento has lost seven of eight overall.

"Kevin is a fabulous player," Minnesota head coach Randy Wittman said. "That hurt me a lot, but luckily we still pulled it out. Kevin has perfected that pump fake and got to the free throw line more than our whole team did."

John Salmons gave 15 points and Beno Udrih had 13 points and seven assists. Brad Miller failed to score a point in 24:58. On the injury front for Sacramento, forward Ron Artest (sore right foot) did not play Friday.

"We are definitely a better team with Ron in the lineup," Salmons said. "We play through him on offense and he guards the best offensive players. We just have to adjust when he's not in. That's part of being a team, everyone stepping up."

A Martin four-point play trimmed the Kings' deficit to seven with just over nine minutes left in regulation. Smith answered with a bucket for Minnesota, though, and Martin came right back and drain another three to make it 91-85.

Then a Corey Brewer bucket and a pair of free throws from Smith ballooned the T'Wolves' lead back to 10.

The clubs exchanged baskets and eventually a Francisco Garcia three pulled the Kings back within six, 97-91, with 4:49 to go.

Six points was as close as Sacramento got, however, as the Minnesota offense accounted for all the points the club needed.

A McCants three-pointer in the waning seconds of the first frame put the T'Wolves up 25-24 after 12 minutes of play. A Gomes jumper sparked a 9-2 Minnesota run to end the first half, the surge gave the T'Wolves a 57-44 advantage at the break.

An Udrih jumper and a pair of free throws from Martin cut the Kings' deficit to five points, 67-62, just past the midway point of the third stanza.

The T'Wolves increased their cushion back to double-digits, 72-62, on a Jefferson hook shot and a three-point play from Gomes. Minnesota's lead hovered around 10 for the rest of the third and a Chris Richard layup gave the T'Wolves an 80-71 lead heading into the final quarter.

Game Notes

The Timberwolves improved to 3-26 on the road this season...The Kings hit 34- of-39 (87.2 percent) shots from the foul line, while the T'Wolves hit 17-of-22 (77.3 percent)...The Kings will play at the Lakers on Sunday. The 'Wolves will play at the Clippers on Saturday...Attendance was 13,990.

Where the players come to play and STAY.