Unconventional Plan Works for Wolves

Los Angeles Lakers' Maurice Evans, center, dunks between Minnesota Timberwolves defenders Kevin Garnett, left, and Mark Blount (30) during the first quarter in a basketball game, Tuesday, March 6, 2007, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid) (Tom Olmscheid - AP)

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves couldn't buy a 3-pointer for most of Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. So trailing by six with 2:35 to play, coach Randy Wittman gave his 7-foot center the green light. Guess what? It worked.

Mark Blount hit three straight 3-pointers in the final 2:20 of regulation and Minnesota overcame 40 points from Kobe Bryant in a thrilling 117-107 double-overtime victory over the Lakers.

Blount was just 2-for-6 from the field when the fourth quarter started, but he scored 11 of his 18 points in the period, nine of which came on 3s.

"He said he was too close, that's why he was missing," teammate Ricky Davis said. "He stepped back and started knocking them down."

Bryant scored 40 for the first time since Jan. 31, his longest 40-point drought of the season, and added 13 rebounds and eight assists. But he managed just three points in the two overtimes as the Lakers let one slip away.

"We have to learn how to close these games out, especially defensively," Bryant said. "We can't give guys open looks, no matter who it is."

Davis led Minnesota with 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in 56 minutes. His jumper gave Minnesota a 109-107 lead in the second overtime and Randy Foye added an acrobatic tip-in, then stole the ensuing inbounds pass to snap the Wolves' three-game losing streak.

Kevin Garnett added 26 points and 17 rebounds, but Blount was the hero in this one.

After the Wolves started the game 1-for-14 from long range and trailed by six with 2:30 to play, Blount started shooting. He entered the game 5-of-19 for the season from beyond the arc, but was 3-for-3 in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night.

His last one pulled Minnesota within 97-96 with 47.7 seconds to play and Davis hit two free throws with 3.1 seconds to go to send the game into the first overtime.

As usual, Blount declined comment after the game.

"When we win or whenever we've needed big shots this year, he's come through and hit some big shots," Garnett said. "He was right on time today."