get the loose ball. haywood trying to get it and cannot get his hand on it. two minutes to play in the first flynn around the jefferson screen, short jumper is not there. quickly to foye and nice play. randy foye who had improved all three seasons here and was looking for an extension on his contract. the new gm wouldn't meet with him. he said the writing was on the wall to the. he had a feeling he might be gone. knocked out of bounds. foye had a tough time in a

trade for brandon roy. >> phil: each team with seven fast break baskets. that was a difficult shot he had to convert. >> wizards back up by 1. around foye, haywood is there. let see if they call a foul on jefferson. it is a loose-ball foul on al jefferson. he came over haywood's back to knock that away. >> phil: you have brewer trying to go baseline. brendan is right there to help him. he has jefferson on the back, brewer, you have a brendan haywood sandwich. >> steve: that will not count -- they will call offensive foul on gilbert arenas.

the first foul on gilbert. >> phil: let's see what happened here. i think the defender is moving into gilbert arenas. i don't agree with that call. >> steve: six turnovers in the second quarter for washington. flynn couldn't get it. butler trying to pull it away. he knocks it off love but he is able to hang onto not there, brewer the rebound. that's up and in. >> phil: that's a huge advantage >> they regain the lead by one.

he lost that one. they will give it back to the wizards with two seconds left on the shot clock. he seems to say that i can't >> steve: gilbert looked over at your broadcast position to say, was that a foul, too? >> they didn't call a foul. wizards have won two in a row. last year the wizards had two separate one streaks against win streak last year. their last three game win streak came the season before last. that season they also had a six

game win streak earl on. they had a four game win streak and they mad four three game win streaks. >> phil: they only have two seconds to get this shot off. hopefully they are all aware of that. >> steve: here is jamison, he will take the shot. that's the end of the possession. but still five seconds to play in the half. so washington unable to get some iron at least on that shot and that is a turnover. that's the 10th turnover of the half and now kurt rambis will take a 20-second time-out. seven second quarter turnovers by the wizards. inside the washington huddle,

flip saunders said the most emotional thing about coming back here to this arena was he looks up and see >> steve: foul on earl boykins. they had a foul to give. so it's minnesota ball on the side with just under four

seconds to play. brewer not there, the tip is not good. that's the end of the first half. numerous lead changes. washington had the advantage, once by seven, once by five. they give it up to minnesota and a 1-point lead. they have a nice half from wayne ellington. ellington had 8 points in the first half and the timberwolves lead the wizards b i touched the ball before it went out, coach. come on, alex, the ref did not call that! i touched, it's their ball. don't foul them when they inbound. team! alex! good call.

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vo: geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. >> steve: we are at halftime in minneapolis. the biggest difference in this ballgame is rebounding by the

timberwolves and second half points. they are shooting 35% from the field and yet they have the lead on the wizards 43-42 at the break. let's look around the n. unusual series of events for ron artest, he fell down his stairs after -- he had a concussion after fa

>> steve: this is the first meeting between these two teams this year. washington looks for its third consecutive win. we had a terrific time last night at flip saunders home. he opened it up for the entire team, the broadcasters, trainers, equipment guys, it was fun. 11 rebounds for this minnesota team on the offensive glass that lead to eight second chance points.

>> phil: washington was able to keep them at a lower shooting percentage around 35%. but they are to shore that up in the second half, their defensive rebounds maybe get a few second chance baskets of their own. >> steve: wizards shot 42.5%. it kills you when the other team is shooting so poorly and somehow they lead the game. they have to crash the boards some way or another. >> phil: absolutely. you have washington going on a nice run and minnesota answered it. that's a nice play there with butler faking everybody. blatche was extremely aggressive. he got off to a good start. he had 6 points in the first half. gilbert makes shots like that look easy. kevin love who shares the game high, he is with 9 points, shooting is the ball extremely

well. he has two offensive rebounds. al jefferson their leading scorer is kind of quiet. he mass 3 assists. they are not overbearing, which i think antawn had the scoring touch from the outside and even inside. but love is a more physical player. he likes to bang a little bit more. but two offensive rebounds by love, one by jefferson. but you have damien wilkins with 3. their whole team was crashing the boards. they stay physical. >> steve: i'm sure saunders would like the team to be more

judicious with the basketball. gilbert had 9 points. but the wizards trail at the brea i'll be an alcoholic. all: hi, emily. announcer: kids who drink before age 15 are 5 times more likely to have alcohol problems when they're adults. so start talking before they start drinking. if it's not...

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>> steve: let's look at our stats from the first half. >> phil: washington has to be happy it's only an 1-point game. their team averages a little more than three per game. washington is of from the free- throw line. therein lies the problem. they have given up 11 offensive rebounds and outrebound indeed total by 2. >> steve: they come into this

game 29th out of 30 teams in turnovers. only charlotte turns it over more. they have committed five in the first half. >> phil: they have been extremely active around the glass even though washington has the advantage on inside points. >> steve: every was very aggressive. he only missed one. he had three rebounds. >> steve: the wizards made 1-73- point hot is in the first half where minnesota went 4-8 from long range. very few free throws taken by

either team. minute led by kevin love, nine, wayne ellington, eight. al jefferson has 4 points. minnesota getting position in the third quarter. quarter number three. jefferson scores. jefferson landed awkwardly on his right near last year in new orleans. he had surgery 10 days later. he was gone for the season. he had 30 double doubles on the

year. gilbert for the long 3, not there. a minnesota rebound. they lead by 3. this match is their largest advantage of the game. here is brew, left alone from 16 feet and he buries it. largest lead of the game for the timberwolves, 5 points. timberwolves will be at san antonio. it looks like brendan came in

from out-of-bounds. it's minnesota's ball, 15 on the shot clock. >> phil: he realized he is very close to that baseline. he try to say establish both feet in. that was the question. >> steve: they evidently thought not. here is jefferson, good defense. nice shot. you said it that's how you start the third quarter often dictates how the quarter plays out. it's minnesota who starts the quarter in position fashion. they are on an 8-0 run in the last two and a half minutes that included the end of the second quarter

>> steve: happy holidays and happy christmas as wizards left yesterday, christmas day, they

flew to minneapolis. they spent last night with flip saunders a and his family at the coach's house. beautiful evening there. from here it is onto memphis. foye forced to pull the trigger on a long shot, not there. off of gilbert's leg, he lays it off to jamison who puts it it in. >> phil: they are fortunate to come up with that loose ball. >> steve: the lead is 5 after minnesota had their large effort at 7. ball is tipped defensively for brewer, he is pull the trigger and connects. arenas a lays it off, that will be the fourth turnover of the game for gilbert. flynn is fouled by butler.

on caron that's his third personal. >> phil: watch him keep the ball on his right side and gets contact. he nearly got the basket. >> steve: timberwolves average about 15.5 points fast break points in the game. it's the second chance points that have hurt, 10 for minnesota and two for the wizards. large effort lead of the game for minnesota. eight points. arenas from 15, good. 11 points for gilbert. 5-11 from the field p5 rebounds, six assists, but four

turnovers. >> phil: gilbert pulled up for the wide open short jumper. >> steve: jefferson guarded closely by lay. two seconds to shoot. way short. brendan has his rebound. that's his 9th of the game. gilbert again and he hits another. 6-12 from the field and 13 points for arenas. eight-point lead cut in half. brewer is called for traveling. >> phil: he saw something, he wasn't watching the footwork of brewer. but no doubt in his mind. >> steve: sixth turnover for minnesota. they had five in the first half. gilbert again, now he is hot.

7-13, 15 points for arenas. the lead is 2. >> phil: three in a row, all jumpers by gilbert. >> steve: kurt rambis has seen enough. he knows what can happen when gilbert arenas gets hot. gilbert arenas 10th in the nba with scoring, averaging

>> steve: the nice think about playing a team that's struggling, as is minnesota, they are lax and you end up getting good shots. it's nice to see the wizards getting open shots. gilbert, when he is open, is not going to miss them. >> phil: you have a double pick, you have haywood, they want to make sure they keep it going. arenas is hot and raring to go. 15 points, six straight points or gilbert. >> steve: as a shooter when you are able to square your shooters for the target, it's a nice feeling, isn't it? >> phil: he has such good balance when he elevates for

his shot. the shoulders are square. >> steve: butler gets with pushed out of the way. the rebound by jamison. the wizards can tie or regain the lead. foye spent the first three years of his career here in minneapolis. the shot not there but he is fouled by flynn and caron butler will get two free throws with a chance to tie the game. >> phil: i think flynn bounces off of foye there and makes contact on butler. he is a little upset with the call. >> caron averaging

>> phil: butler is 6-6 from the free-throw line. >> steve: here is wizards, the adjustmenter is not there. gilbert nearly lost it. here is foye, thought about it, butler, and now jamison, he will try it for 3. not there. knocked out-of-bounds by minnesota and it will be washington ball. >> phil: brendan applied pressure inside there. jefferson was one of the players trying to keep it away from him. jefferson was the last one to touch it. >> steve: antawn is looking for the range, he is 3-19 from the field. they reset with a fresh 24. we have played five minutes here in the third quarter. butler thought about it,

nowhere to go. gilbert, still tied. drives around wilkins. spinning. lays it up and missed it. arenas for another jumper, this one was strong. a loose foul job by antawn jamison. it looks like he is holding his throat. no, they are calling it on minnesota. i thought they had jamison on top. >> phil: he took a shot or someone was holding him. did they call it on kevin love? >> steve: they did, his first personal. wizards get a represerve and yet another opportunity there as they were unable to cash in on a couple of offensive possessions. there is the patented move and

he scores. the wizards lead by two. they are on a 10-0 run in the last 2:50. >> phil: antawn can make that shot in his sleep. >> steve: 245 shot was a little strong jamison in his best to get the ball to butler, threw it out of bounds. that's a washington turnover, their 12th. timberwolves have won three games at home and three games

at home. 3-12 and 3-12. jefferson, not there. off jamison's head. butler has it, he nearly traveled. >> phil: he better watch it. >> steve: gilbert calling for the ball but foye didn't see him. the pick by haywood, foye lost it and the foul will be called on minnesota. i think they got it on al jefferson. that will be his second personal. >> phil: jefferson, who picked up the foul, goes out of the game and ryan gomes is back in. arenas with the jumper, a little shot. knocked away, stays in bounds. here come the timberwolves. jonny flynn, pushed by foye, no call but on the rebound, a

foul. >> phil: i think a late whistle was blown. watch the contact right there, the body contact, which floats the hip of flynn outward and throws him off balance, he misses the shot. >> steve: haywood comes out with a couple of points. andray blatche back in. jonny flynn, he been around the league somewhat. traveling called on butler.

washington's 13th turnover. i keep wondering whether this is a real travel. yeah, that is. >> phil: that is. >> steve: i've seen it -- >> phil: it almost looked like he slid. because they almost slid out from underneath him. >> steve: i agree. i have seen it called on him manies times when it is not so obvious. that's what makes me wonder about that call. brewer heating up, he has 13 points to lead mr. in scoring. the timberwolves have answered washington on a stephen-0 run. gilbert off balance and he will shoot two. >> phil: that's good recovery by gilbert. you have brewer playing him on the side. now he turns it into an

offensive mood. gomes picked up the foul. gil, 2-2 from the line. suchth rebound, simple assists. he had 18 in the win against milwaukee on wednesday night. he went 7-8 from the line in that game. he also had nine assists and a couple steals. he is unable to make the second. that is the first miss at the free-throw line for the wizards tonight who are 10-11. blatche is held -- hollins is held by blatche. awn dry,andray, that's his first

foul. traveling call, that is a good call. >> phil: that's interesting. he had his dependtroke defender up in the air and off balance. boykins is back in now. jamison is double teamed. boykins, they swing it to arenas, that's a jumper, an air ball and blatche put it in. that's andray's shot. love for gomes around a screen and he hits. >> phil: this is what i talked

about. you have brewer and gomes knocking down perimeter shots for this team. >> steve: 19 points for arenas. love goes up on jamison, antawn should know that move, it's a veteran move. >> phil: that's why these two i wanted to watch because jamison -- love is learning quickly and plague a name for himself. >> steve: he had a name, his

father had a name. and his unl was a member of the beach boys. >> steve: jamison, nice move, can't get it to go. antawn will head to the line where he is 2-2 tonight. hollins that's his second. antawn averaging 20.4 points a

game. his sixth year with the wizards. they got him from dallas in he gets them bothment so the wizards collectively have missed just one free throw in this game, 12-13. that's gilbert a moment ago. hollins, nice jump. >> phil: he has been playing with a lot of energy. they are posting up strong. >> steve: arenas or jamison. defensive 3- they are going to count it. so no free throw will be taken,

it's minnesota's ball, instead the wizards get the ball. >> phil: because he was in the act of shooting when they made the call. the fact that the shot goes in nullifies the call. >> steve: so credit the basket to antawn who has 15 points. ellington off a beautiful screen. rebound by ramon sessions. drives, low for love off the glass and in. here is blatche. tough pass underneath but a foul from behind. that will send jamison back to the line for two more. >> phil: i like the fact that blatche turns and faces his man. there is the last bucket by

love. he has the size over caron butler. he pushed a little with his left arm but not enough to get the whistle. >> steve: minnesota has beaten the timberwolves consisten he makes one free throw. 16 points for jamison. it's a 2-point minnesota lead. they have led by as many as 8. the wizards have led by as many as 7. ramon sessions, no shot, a foul is called on earl boykins before the shot goes

up. third personal on boykins, that's the fifth team foul. the shots are coming. not a lot of contact to impede his progress. >> phil: that's why the foul was called. he is coming from behind that pick. >> steve: sessions, as we mentioned before, 66% shooter, was a great player in myrtle beach, south carolina. he holds the record with most points scored that game, that's 54 points. >> phil: he has been a streaky player in his three years in the nba. at times he is unstoppable player and putting up big numbers. he will go through numbers where he finds it lard to get a bucket. >> steve: jamison has the last 7 points for washington, 9 in

the half. blatche fouls. >> phil: gilbert tried to do everything he could to stay in front of love. love goes right through him. there will be that position, a flop on gilbert's part. a lot of contact there. >> steve: sure is. it looks like a bull in a china shop. love will get one more shot. he only played one year at ucla. he misses the second. the wizards trail by 3. that's 14 points and 5 rebounds. the wizards turn it over. >> steve: turnover number 14 or washington who came into the game averaging 14 for the contest. >> phil: that was a play where

earl took his eye off the ball. >> steve: knocked out-of-bounds by butler. new 24-second shot. >> phil: butler did the wise thing. he kept it away from love. he nearly tipped it in the first time. >> steve: nice defensive play by boykins. gilbert on sessions, blocked by him. ball on the floor, picked up by butler. he has arenas and gilbert will get 2. >> phil: i think that play on the other end was actually andray who had both players for a second. he got his hands up and

deflected the pass. >> steve: gilbert has 12 points in the third quarter, 21 for the game. shot clock actually should be off at this point. sessions drives, lays it up, not there, tip no good. jamison has it. the pass is too long for boykins. that is the end of the third quarter. minnesota led by one at halftime, they lead by one after try but gilbert arenas heated up in that third quarter. he had 12 points in the period and has 21 for the game to go along with six rebounds and seven assists. this one is still anybody's ballgame. wizards and timberwolves locked number a day after christmas special with minne

welcome home, man. >> steve: merry christmas to all of you from all of us. it's always a white christmas

in minneapolis, i know that. when you put the golf clubs away, you put them away until >> steve: nice pass for antawn but his shot is a little long. at this point by blatche. he tipped it to himself but pulled down by minnesota. blatche is goods at doing that at 7 feet. he gets somebody else up there with him and it's tougher to pull it down. dominic mcguire is in the game and gets the steal. jamison with a 3, he rims it. 68-67 minnesota. first of two meetings this season. same two teams will play again on february 17th at the verizon

center where the wizards haven't loss to this club since 2003. here are the statistic for three-quarters. >> phil: minnesota for 38%. >> steve: the jumper is short. lost the handle, gets it back.

he misses. jamison is there. a good bounce for washington. a nice pass beautifully done. >> phil: he made that pass just at the right moment which an opening occurred between two defenders. >> steve: 8 assists for gilbert. 18 points for antawn. wizards regain the lead by 1. it looked like hollins got away from a shove. how come we can that and the official, who is 5 feet away, can't see that? that's a pivotal play. >> phil: that's a shot

>> steve: so the lead seesaws and minnesota by one. a nice screen and boykins cannot convert. hollins wants the basketball. down low with jamison. jefferson short jumper not there. but a good rebound by ellington that time. jefferson inside. gomes. his open jumper is not there. >> phil: the timberwolves were shooting a better percentage to cover the second half points that they had. they were shooting just slightly better. they would have a much larger

lead based on the number of possessions. >> steve: again, the wizards regain the lead. a slam by hollins, that gets the crowd up and cheering at the >> phil: that's why you saw the bench there for the timberwolves just erupt. >> steve: gilbert has nowhere to go has to force up a jumper that's off the mark. blatche is fighting for it. picked up by sessions. >> steve: timberwolves by one, 8:14 to play in regulation. sessions goes down and calls timeout as he slipped and gilbert was all over him. so the timberwolves take a time-

out. they will have possession and they lead washington by 1 point. ramon sessions inside for a big slam from ryan hollins, timb anncr vo: with the new geico glovebox app... anncr vo: ...you can get help with a flat tire...

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