Martin leads T-wolves past Knicks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin Martin scored 37 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped their five-game losing streak with a 115-99 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
After scoring 13 in the first quarter, Martin did not register his first point in the second quarter until the 4:16 mark when he answered a Carmelo Anthony 3-pointer that cut the Timberwolves lead to five with a 3 of his own to start an 18-10 Timberwolves run to end the half.
Martin's dunk with 3:47 left in the half extended the Minnesota lead to double digits, where it would remain for most of the rest of the game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Complementing Martin was second-year player Shabazz Muhammad in his first career start. He shot just 6-of-15 from the field but finished with 17 points and led the Timberwolves with eight rebounds.
"(Muhammad) plays so hard," Minnesota head coach Flip Saunders said. "I just thought, especially with Carmelo and their lineup, we needed some physicality."
The Knicks' defensive woes continued as they lost for the ninth time in their last 10 games. They allowed 115 points one day after giving up a season-high 117 to Milwaukee.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I'm not more concerned after tonight than I was last night," said Knicks head coach Derek Fisher. "Tonight was different in the sense that they shot 3s, they got points in the paint, they got transition points. They kind of got it all. We had been better in some of those areas but tonight we weren't."
Minnesota shot 44-of-89 from the field, including 11-of-22 from beyond the arc.
The Knicks committed 22 turnovers. In the second and third quarters when they were outscored by 18 points, they turned the ball over 17 times. Minnesota stole the ball 15 times in the game, led by Corey Brewer with six.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With Ricky Rubio still out of the lineup, Mo Williams was effective running the Minnesota offense. In addition to his 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, he collected a game-high 13 assists.
Anthony led New York with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and Amar'e Stoudemire contributed 19 off the bench.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Minnesota's Gorgui Dieng set a career high in steals with five.