MINNEAPOLIS — Kevin Garnett had a season-high 31 points and 14 rebounds Friday night to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves over the Utah Jazz 110-103, spoiling Jerry Sloan's bid for 1,000 wins.
Garnett scored 16 points in the decisive third quarter for Minnesota, which has won three straight. Mike James scored a season-high 28 points and Ricky Davis added 21.
Deron Williams had 21 points and 11 assists for the Jazz, who still have the best record in the NBA at 15-5. Mehmet Okur had 18 points, but Carlos Boozer only scored eight on 4-for-17 shooting. Boozer had 13 rebounds.
In a pregame interview, coach Dwane Casey deflected questions about Allen Iverson, who sounds as if he is on his way out of Philadelphia.
"I have no clue what's going on in Philadelphia," Casey said. "I'm just worried about Utah. That's not my department."
Vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale would not comment on rumors Iverson would end up in Minnesota.
Minnesota extended a seven-point halftime lead to 94-84 with 5:46 left after James hit a long 3-pointer as the shot clock expired and Garnett hit a jumper from the corner. Utah got within 98-93, but James hit another big 3-pointer and Utah could not get closer than five the rest of the way.
Garnett sparked a Minnesota run midway through the third quarter with a 3-pointer, a blocked shot and an assist on Davis' reverse layup for a 63-57 lead with 5:41 left. It was the Wolves' biggest lead to that point and Garnett helped them push it to 77-70 at the end of the third with his second 3-pointer.
The teams played close throughout the first half, with 13 lead changes and five ties. Neither team led by more than four points and Utah's biggest lead came at halftime, 46-43, when Boozer scored for just the second time.
Garnett led all scorers with eight points in the opening quarter, as Minnesota got out to a 22-21 lead.
Notes: Starting in Chicago on Saturday, the Wolves will play seven straight games against 2006 playoff participants. ... Minnesota is waiting for the results of an MRI on Mark Madsen's right shoulder before changing his status from day-to-day. Madsen left Wednesday's game against Houston in the first quarter after a partial dislocation. ... Sloan talked about the 1,000 wins before the game. "All it is, is a number," he said. "It's not been one of my ambitions. I haven't won a championship yet." Sloan is looking to join Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson, Pat Riley and Larry Brown in the 1,000-win club. ... Okur has played in 200 straight games, the seventh-longest active streak in the NBA.