Yet another chance for Wolves to win is lost

In an all-too-familiar scenario, Minnesota's sizable lead dissipated during the Warriors' superb third quarter and the team wasn't able to respond.

By JERRY ZGODA , Star Tribune

Last update: December 23, 2007 - 9:18 PM

While a double-digit lead vanished for the eighth time this season, Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman called a timeout with fewer than four minutes gone in the third quarter of Wednesday night's 111-98 loss to Golden State at Target Center.

He said afterward his team told him everything without saying a word.

"Five guys and I couldn't see any of their eyes," he said, the anger rising in his voice as his postgame news conference progressed. "And I'm sitting right in front of them."

Twenty-four minutes of precision and a 62-54 halftime lead fell away once again Wednesday, when the Wolves -- in the third quarter's first seven minutes -- committed three times as many turnovers (six) as they had in the entire first half (two). The Warriors outscored them 37-17 in the quarter, including an 11-0 run that lasted more than four minutes.

"Our body language told it all to me," Wittman said. "We walked off with our heads down after 3½ minutes. Until we can receive a punch and throw one back, we're going to have repeats like that. I'm begging for one guy, for five guys to stand up and say 'Enough' right now."

Wittman suggested someone tape record his postgame remarks so they could played back again on another night if needed. Wolves forward Al Jefferson preferred just a slightly different analogy.

"Put a CD in the player and put the same song on repeat," said Jefferson, who had 24 points and 14 rebounds in a game again decided by one quarter's poor play. "That's how it is for us right now: same thing every game."

Opportunity presented itself Wednesday night on an evening when injury and illness left a team whose roster once was crowded with players with only 10 in uniform.

With starter Marko Jaric home because of the flu, veterans Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner still injured, Craig Smith playing ill and Corey Brewer hurting, the Wolves watched a 58-44 lead in the second-quarter dissolve into a 95-79 deficit early in the fourth.

"The lads decided at halftime that they didn't want to lose this game tonight," said Golden State coach Don Nelson, whose team came within eight points at halftime on Baron Davis' three-pointer at the second-quarter buzzer.

With Jaric missing, Rashad McCants stepped back into the starting lineup and scored 23 points and little-used guard Gerald Green stepped forth -- in the first quarter, no less -- and delivered an 18-point, eight-rebound, 30-minute performance that still couldn't stop the Wolves from losing for the 21st time in their first 24 games.

Their six-game losing streak is their season's longest.

"If the game ended in the second quarter, our record would be 10 times better than it is," Jefferson said. "It's in our heads: Here we go again, we're going to lose the game. Blaming it on our youth is just a bailout, a copout. We've got to learn to come together and attack back."

Recent Timberwolves stories

In tale of two rookies, Flynn scrounges as Jennings soars - December 23, 2007

In tale of two rookies, Flynn scrounges as Jennings soars - Brandon Jennings' historic performance for the Bucks caught a lot of people's attention, including Jonny Flynn's. More