T-Wolves ice Heat in battle of league doormats

Rashad McCants scored 27 points as the league-worst Timberwolves ended their eight-game losing streak with a 101-91 victory over the struggling Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

 In a match-up between the league's doormats, the host Timberwolves (5-29) came out of the woods to taste victory for the first time since December 21, by sending the Eastern Conference-worst Heat (8-27) to an eighth consecutive setback.

 "We all prepared for this game tonight," McCants said. "We knew if we wanted to turn this thing around we needed to start with a win somewhere."

   Al Jefferson had 18 points along with 10 rebounds, while Marko Jaric contributed 17 points and eight assists for the Timberwolves, who won for just the second time in the last 16 games.

 "We made up out minds yesterday, after a great practice, we were going to get this win and we did," Jefferson said.

 Dwyane Wade scored 25 points for Miami, which is mired in its longest slide since dropping 12 in a row early in the 2001-02 season. Shaquille O'Neal missed his sixth straight game with left hip bursitis.

 "We miss him a lot," said Heat forward Daecquan Cook, who finished with 15 points. "For him to be gone right now is kind of tough, but we've have to persevere and get over that. We have to keep working hard."

   Minnesota led by 13 with 5:25 remaining until Wade hit consecutive layups that brought Miami to within 97-91 with 2:39 left.

 However, Jefferson answered with a layup. After Wade misfired on a three-pointer, Jaric buried a 20-foot jumper from the right wing to clinch the T-Wolves' first win of 2008.

 "When teams make a run, instead of us putting our heads down, we hit back," Jefferson said.

 Elsewhere:    LA Lakers 117, Memphis Grizzlies 101    Derek Fisher tossed in 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting, and Kobe Bryant had 25, leading the visiting Lakers to their 13th win in the last 15 games. Mike Miller scored 19 points while Spain's Pau Gasol had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies (10-24) who never led.

 Cleveland Cavaliers 95, Seattle SuperSonics 79    LeBron James scored 22 points before taking a seat early in the final frame to watch the Cavaliers roll to their fourth consecutive victory. Rookie sensation Kevin Durant led Seattle (9-24) with 24 points, but exited to the locker room in the final minutes, after suffering a left ankle sprain.

 Houston Rockets 92, Washington Wizards 84    Luther Head scored a season-high 24 points while Rafer Alston added 15 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, leading the short-handed Rockets to their third straight victory.

 Chinese superstar Yao Ming had 21 points and nine rebounds for visiting Houston (18-17) which improved to 5-2 since losing Tracy McGrady to a sore left knee. Antawn Jamison was held to just 14 points and Caron Butler, 12 as the Wizards' two-game winning streak ended.

 Charlotte Hornets 115, New Jersey Nets 99    Jason Richardson scored 25 points, Gerald Wallace had 21 along with 11 rebounds and the Bobcats shot a sizzling 59 per cent from the field to break a three-game slide.

 Richard Jefferson tallied 25 points for the Nets (17-17), who had a five-game winning streak halted. Meanwhile, Jason Kidd had his 10th triple double of the season with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists to become the first player since Detroit's Grant Hill in 1997 to turn the trick.

 Milwaukee Bucks 87, Philadelphia 76ers 83    Charlie Bell and Mo Williams scored 21 points apiece, helping the short-handed Bucks to their third win in the last four games.

 Charlie Villanueva had 15 points and a season-high 10 boards for the visiting Bucks (14-20), who played without their leading scorer Michael Redd (deep left thigh bruise) for the third straight game. Andre Iguodala scored 21 points and Samuel Dalembert had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the Sixers' (14-21) fourth straight loss.

 Utah Jazz 111, Indiana Pacers 89    Carlos Boozer scored 22 points and Matt Harpring added 16 off the bench as the Jazz handed the visiting Pacers to their worst loss of the season. Danny Granger led Indiana (16-20) with 17 points.

 New York Knicks 105, Chicago Bulls 100    Stephon Marbury nailed the game-sealing three-point with 11.4 seconds left, helping the visiting Knicks snap a seven-game slide. Eddy Curry scored a season-high 29 points, Jamal Crawford, 24 and Marbury finished with 18 as the Knicks (9-24) improved to 2-13 on the road. Joe Smith had 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls (13-20) who were outscored 28-12 in the decisive final frame.

 Sacramento Kings 104, Orlando Magic 100    John Salmons scored 21 points, Brad Miller 20 and the Kings held off the Magic to end a four-game home losing skid. Dwight Howard had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Magic (22-14) losers of three in row. Rashard Lewis scored 22 points with six three-pointers.