Dominating fourth quarter lifts Lakers over Wolves

Dec 21, 2006, 4:20 GMT

Minneapolis, MN - Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and the Lakers got huge contributions from Maurice Evans and Vladimir Radmanovic in a giant fourth-quarter run, as the Lakers rallied to stun Minnesota, 111-94, at the Target Center.

Evans and Radmanovic combined for 16 points during a 25-2 spurt in the final period, as Los Angeles erased a 12-point deficit in that period, and outscored Minnesota, 34-7, over the final 12 minutes.

Radmanovic ended with 17 points and Evans had 15, as the Lakers snapped a two- game skid. Meanwhile, that left Bryant with a chance to rest for much of the fourth quarter.

'You have to ride the momentum the team we created out there,' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. 'It was about as bad a third quarter we had as Minnesota's fourth quarter. We changed it up in the fourth. Things were going right for us. We moved the ball.'

Kevin Garnett barely missed a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, but the Timberwolves suffered their third straight defeat after a four-game winning streak.

'The first half we did pretty much what we wanted to do,' Garnett said. 'The second half we didn't have as much a rhythm. The second group came in and gave them a very big boost. Those guys played with a lot of confidence tonight. We didn't make the adjustments to stop them.'

After the game, Garnett voiced his displeasure about the Timberwolves not getting All-Star guard Allen Iverson, who was dealt from Philadelphia to Denver Tuesday.

'That's pretty much how things go around here,' Garnett said. 'It's what it is. It would have been a very nice Christmas present.'

Davis' two free throws represented the first points of the fourth and extended Minnesota's lead to 89-77. The Lakers then went on their game-changing blitz. Andrew Bynum's basket gave LA the lead for good at 93-91 inside of eight minutes left and Radmanovic followed with a three-pointer.

Jordan Farmar's jumper capped the burst, extending the score to 102-91 with just over four minutes remaining.

Brian Cook had 11 points and Smush Parker added 10 for the Lakers, who finished the night shooting 56.8 percent from the field.

Mark Blount added 12 points and eight boards for the Timberwolves.

Minnesota led 29-26 after one quarter, but the Lakers quickly gained control early in the second. Two free throws from Radmanovic moved LA to a 44-36 advantage, but the lead stood at 59-57 at the half.

The T'Wolves turned it around in the third though, using a 10-2 spurt for a 73-65 lead.

Game Notes

The Lakers won for just the third time in their last 10 at Minnesota.

It was the lowest scoring final quarter for the Timberwolves in franchise history.

Bryant was 10-of-17 from the field.

Trenton Hassell and Randy Foye each had 10 points for the Timberwolves.

© 2006 The Sports Network