Rebounding nicely in more ways than one

MEMPHIS — Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman worried his team might have expended too much energy in Friday's comeback victory at Orlando, so all it did on Saturday night in Memphis was score a franchise-record 43 points in the first quarter of a 114-105 victory that produced all sorts of statistical anomalies.

Six days after he shot the Grizzlies to victory at Target Center, South Dakota's own Mike Miller watched from the sideline dressed in a suit because of back spasms. The Grizzlies also didn't use three other regulars, and the Wolves gave Al Jefferson and Randy Foye extra rest and still came one rebound from a franchise record.

Their 62 rebounds -- which included a season-high 24 offensive rebounds -- were one short of the 63 a Timberwolves team hauled down in an April Fool's Day game against Phoenix three seasons ago.

Four Wolves -- Ryan Gomes, Jefferson, Kirk Snyder and Corey Brewer -- reached double-figure rebounds.

"I don't think we've had four guys do that before," Wittman said. "I know we haven't."

It kind of helped that Miller wasn't making threes from everywhere and that Darko Milicic, Javaris Crittenton and Jason Collins didn't play, didn't it?

"Uh, yeah," Snyder said. "But, you know, in the NBA, every guy's capable."

Snyder, a fellow who was exiled on Houston's inactive list before February's trade to Minnesota, proved that with a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double that included his career high in rebounds and with nine first-quarter points that got the Wolves' collective motor revving. He did so despite playing with a bum ankle.

"Two of them, actually," he said. "But at this point, it doesn't matter."

The Wolves' 18-4 run midway through the first quarter opened a 32-18 lead that grew to as many as 18 by the end of that quarter. Sixth man Rashad McCants scored 10 points in five minutes in the quarter.

"We moved the ball and ran," Wittman said. "We threw the ball ahead as good as we have in a long time."

Or as Foye said: "It's fun to play like that: Push the ball, swing, swing, dunk."

Foye attributed the Wolves' fast start and sustained play to Friday night's finish rather than an undermanned opponent.

"We played so well in the fourth quarter last night, we just kept that going to start off tonight," Foye said. "I wish we played tomorrow."

The Wolves have only two games left -- Tuesday at Detroit, Wednesday at home against Milwaukee -- and now after winning their 21st game are within one victory of catching the 22-victory Grizzlies in the standings. Memphis finishes the season at Portland and Denver.

At stake is either a 15.6 percent or 11.7 percent chance at getting the No. 1 pick in the June draft. If the teams finish with the same record, a blind draw will be held to determine which team gets more lottery chances. Last season, the Wolves tied for the league's fifth-worst record with Portland, lost the draw and the Blazers beat the odds to win the No. 1 pick and Greg Oden.

"The lottery is the lottery," Wittman said. "We've got to get something going. We've got to build something here."

Notes

• Three people were injured before the game when a small section of the stands at FedExForum collapsed about an hour before game time. One person was taken away on a stretcher and two others were treated at the scene. Grizzlies spokesman Dustin Krugel said that all three were taken to various Memphis hospitals as a precaution.

• Forward Craig Smith missed his second game in a row (collarbone/breastbone injury).

• McCants has scored 23, 19 and 23 points in three games since he was benched and played just three minutes on Tuesday at Charlotte. He scored Saturday's 23 points in less than 22 minutes.