GAME THREAD: NBA: MINNESOTA (0-1) at NEW YORK (0-1)

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NBA: MINNESOTA (0-1) at NEW YORK (0-1)

<h3>Randolph, Knicks look for first win, face Timberwolves</h3>

<div class="pre">Minnesota (0-1) at New York (0-1) 6:00 pm EDT</div>

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Zach Randolph and the New York Knicks hopefor big things this season, but would like to get a win first.

Randolph and the Knicks seek their first victory when they takeon the equally winless Timberwolves on Sunday.


New York dropped its home opener, 110-106, to the ClevelandCavaliers on Friday as superstar LeBron James went off for 45points.


In his first game since being acquired in a draft-day trade withPortland, Randolph scored 21 points and hauled in 14 reboundsfor the Knicks, who hurt themselves by missing 14-of-23 freethrows.


Randolph has had some success vs. Minnesota, averaging 18.9points and 10.7 rebounds in his last 14 games vs. the newlyremodeled Timberwolves.


Minnesota opened the new campaign with a 99-91 loss to theDenver Nuggets on Friday.


Al Jefferson, who came over in the eight-player deal with Bostonthat involved 10-time All-Star Kevin Garnett, scored 16 pointsand grabbed 13 rebounds while Rashad McCants registered ateam-high 23 points.


Without Garnett, the Timberwolves could struggle vs. the bigfront line of the Knicks even though Minnesota has won fourstraight and 10 of its last 12 against New York.
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA VS NEW YORK - INACTIVES

MINNESOTA NEW YORK

PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON
M MADSEN SHOULDER J JAMES KNEE INJURY
R FOYE KNEE INJURY J JEFFRIES KNEE INJURY
C RICHARD COACH'S DECISION W CHANDLER COACH'S DECISION</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA AT NEW YORK - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


MINNESOTA NEW YORK

F Ryan Gomes F Quentin Richardson
F Al Jefferson F Zach Randolph
C Theo Ratliff C Eddy Curry
G Rashad McCants G Stephon Marbury
G Sebastian Telfair G Jamal Crawford

OFFICIALS: Joe Derosa
Matt Boland
Courtney Kirkland</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 6
NEW YORK 3 9:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 10
NEW YORK 7 5:57 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 21
NEW YORK 11 2:32 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 28
NEW YORK 21 END, 1ST QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 28 28
NEW YORK 21 21 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

MIN - AL JEFFERSON 10, CRAIG SMITH 9, RYAN
GOMES 4
NYK - STEPHON MARBURY 7, ZACH RANDOLPH 7, NATE
ROBINSON 5</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 32
NEW YORK 29 8:45 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 36
NEW YORK 40 5:51 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 41
NEW YORK 50 2:50 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 50
NEW YORK 54 HALFTIME</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 28 22 50
NEW YORK 21 33 54 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

MIN - CRAIG SMITH 11, AL JEFFERSON 10, RYAN
GOMES 9
NYK - STEPHON MARBURY 11, JAMAL CRAWFORD 9,
EDDY CURRY 9</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 53
NEW YORK 56 9:06 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 59
NEW YORK 60 5:55 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 66
NEW YORK 67 2:44 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 73
NEW YORK 75 END, 3RD QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 28 22 23 73
NEW YORK 21 33 21 75 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

MIN - RYAN GOMES 14, CRAIG SMITH 13, AL
JEFFERSON 12
NYK - STEPHON MARBURY 15, JAMAL CRAWFORD 14,
DAVID LEE 12</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 74
NEW YORK 79 9:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 81
NEW YORK 85 5:59 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">CORRECTION

NBA MINNESOTA 87
NEW YORK 93 3:08 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 93
NEW YORK 96 1:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 93
NEW YORK 97 FINAL</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 28 22 23 20 93
NEW YORK 21 33 21 22 97 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: MIN - RYAN GOMES 19, AL JEFFERSON 16, CRAIG
SMITH 14
NYK - JAMAL CRAWFORD 24, STEPHON MARBURY 17,
ZACH RANDOLPH 15</div>
 
By Larry Fleisher
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Considering all the bad publicity IsiahThomas and the New York Knicks received during the offseason,the last thing they needed was another loss in the home opener.

Jamal Crawford led six Knicks in double figures with 24 pointsas the Knicks snapped a five-game losing streak in home openerswith a 97-93 victory over the rebuilding Minnesota Timberwolveson Sunday night.


Stephon Marbury added 17 and seven assists for New York, whichrecovered from a 110-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers onFriday in its season opener.


Trailing by three points, Timberwolves coach Randy Wittmaninserted 3-point specialist Antoine Walker into the game with6.9 seconds remaining but his shot from the arc was long.

Randolph grabbed the rebound and sealed the win with a pair offree throws.


The Knicks took a 75-73 lead into the fourth and held Minnesotawithout a basket until Rashad McCants' 3-pointer made it atwo-point game at the 8:38 mark. They then lost the lead whenTheo Ratliff converted a hook shot over Curry with just 7:30remaining.


Marbury returned to the game and the Knicks regained the lead onCrawford's jumper, which made it 83-81 with just under sevenminutes left. That triggered a 12-6 stretch that put New Yorkin front by six points with 3:28 remaining on Curry's dunk.

The Timberwolves came right back and were within 94-91 onconsecutive baskets by Al Jefferson. Crawford made two freethrows to restore the five-point edge.


But the Knicks could not get the defensive rebound on GregBuckner's miss and Ryan Gomes made a pair at the line, whichmade it 96-93.


With their lead down to three, the Knicks went to Crawford, whomissed a 3-pointer that went in and out. But the ball went offa Minnesota defender and New York retained possession.

Marbury then dished to Randolph, who missed an easy hoop and,after Curry missed a follow shot with 15.8 seconds left, Gomesgrabbed the rebound, and Minnesota called timeout - setting upWalker's miss.


New York last won a home opener in 2001 when it defeated theWashington Wizards. That was so long ago that Jeff Van Gundywas coaching New York and Michael Jordan was starting his secondcomeback from retirement.


Since that win, the Knicks have lost home openers under coachesDon Chaney, Lenny Wilkens, Larry Brown and Thomas.

In recent years, Wilkens was at the helm for a 34-point loss tothe Boston Celtics - the worst in team history - Brown coachedan 11-point defeat to Washington, and Thomas presided over a14-point loss to the Indiana Pacers en route to a 2-10 start athome.


Before all the injuries hit last March, the Knicks had begun toplay better at home and had gained some of their fans back.That was before Thomas and Madison Square Garden lost a civiltrial for sexual harrassment against former team employee AnuchaBrowne Sanders.


Perhaps fearful of some negative backlash from the selloutcrowd, Thomas was introduced quickly before his team.

Once the game started, the Knicks fell behind by seven after oneas they shot 35 percent (8-of-23).


They began to get back in the game in the second when Thomasused Crawford, Curry, Nate Robinson, Renaldo Balkman and DavidLee in the lineup together.


That unit opened the quarter with a15-8 spurt as the Knicks took the lead with 6:44 remaining onCrawford's crossover drive to the hoop.


They went ahead by as many as nine and took a 54-50 lead intohalftime.


Gomes scored 17 points, reserve Craig Smith added 14 and AlJefferson scored 10 of his 12 in the first quarter forMinnesota.
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA (93) AT NEW YORK (97)

MINNESOTA

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

R GOMES F 36:03 7-17 2-2 1 6 7 3 3 1 2 19
A JEFFERSON F 37:09 8-15 0-0 6 6 12 1 4 1 2 16
T RATLIFF C 33:22 4-8 0-0 3 1 4 0 3 1 4 8
R MCCANTS G 21:59 5-11 0-1 0 2 2 2 6 0 1 13
S TELFAIR G 36:58 4-14 0-0 0 4 4 7 2 1 0 9
C SMITH 23:14 6-10 2-4 2 3 5 0 5 0 1 14
G BUCKNER 27:45 5-9 1-1 1 5 6 0 4 1 2 13
M JARIC 11:02 0-1 1-2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
C BREWER 7:41 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0
G GREEN 0:46 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
A WALKER 4:01 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
M DOLEAC DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 39-87 6-10 14 27 41 14 31 5 13 93
(.448) (.600) TEAM REBS: 7 TOTAL TO: 13 (17 PTS)

NEW YORK

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

Z RANDOLPH F 33:35 6-18 3-5 3 7 10 0 4 0 2 15
Q RICHARDSON F 29:53 0-2 0-0 0 3 3 0 1 0 1 0
E CURRY C 34:46 6-8 2-6 1 6 7 0 3 0 2 14
J CRAWFORD G 42:00 8-15 7-8 1 0 1 7 3 2 5 24
S MARBURY G 39:13 4-9 7-8 0 1 1 7 0 1 1 17
D LEE 27:04 4-5 6-6 2 5 7 1 2 0 0 14
R BALKMAN 17:21 0-1 3-4 0 3 3 2 1 1 2 3
N ROBINSON 16:08 3-7 2-2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 10
M ROSE DNP - COACH'S DECISION
F JONES DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M COLLINS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
R MORRIS DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 31-65 30-39 8 26 34 18 16 5 14 97
(.477) (.769) TEAM REBS: 13 TOTAL TO: 14 (21 PTS)

MINNESOTA 28 22 23 20 - 93
NEW YORK 21 33 21 22 - 97

BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - T RATLIFF 2, R MCCANTS, A JEFFERSON, C BREWER.
NEW YORK - NONE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 9-17 (.529), R GOMES 3-4, R MCCANTS 3-
4, S TELFAIR 1-3, G BUCKNER 2-5, A WALKER 0-1. NEW YORK 5-14 (.357),
Q RICHARDSON 0-2, J CRAWFORD 1-3, S MARBURY 2-5, N ROBINSON 2-4.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NEW YORK - DEFENSIVE THREE 2.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: COURTNEY KIRKLAND, JOE DEROSA, MATT BOLAND.
A - 19,763. T - 2:14.</div>
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA (93)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
R Gomes 36:03 7-17 2-2 1-7 3 3 19
A Jefferson 37:09 8-15 0-0 6-12 1 4 16
T Ratliff 33:22 4-8 0-0 3-4 0 3 8
R McCants 21:59 5-11 0-1 0-2 2 6 13
S Telfair 36:58 4-14 0-0 0-4 7 2 9
C Smith 23:14 6-10 2-4 2-5 0 5 14
G Buckner 27:45 5-9 1-1 1-6 0 4 13
M Jaric 11:02 0-1 1-2 0-0 1 1 1
C Brewer 7:41 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 3 0
G Green 0:46 0-0 0-0 1-1 0 0 0
A Walker 4:01 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
M Doleac DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 39-87 6-10 14-41 14 31 93
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.448, FT-.600. 3-Point Goals:
9-17, .529 (R Gomes 3-4, R McCants 3-4, S
Telfair 1-3, G Buckner 2-5, A Walker 0-1).
Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked Shots:5 (T Ratliff
2, R McCants, A Jefferson, C Brewer).
Turnovers:13 (T Ratliff 4, G Buckner 2, R
Gomes 2, A Jefferson 2, R McCants, C Smith, C
Brewer). Steals: 5 (T Ratliff, G Buckner, R
Gomes, S Telfair, A Jefferson).


NEW YORK (97)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Z Randolph 33:35 6-18 3-5 3-10 0 4 15
Q Richardson 29:53 0-2 0-0 0-3 0 1 0
E Curry 34:46 6-8 2-6 1-7 0 3 14
J Crawford 42:00 8-15 7-8 1-1 7 3 24
S Marbury 39:13 4-9 7-8 0-1 7 0 17
D Lee 27:04 4-5 6-6 2-7 1 2 14
R Balkman 17:21 0-1 3-4 0-3 2 1 3
N Robinson 16:08 3-7 2-2 1-2 1 2 10
M Rose DNP - COACH'S DECISION
F Jones DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M Collins DNP - COACH'S DECISION
R Morris DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 31-65 30-39 8-34 18 16 97
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.477, FT-.769. 3-Point Goals:
5-14, .357 (Q Richardson 0-2, J Crawford 1-3,
S Marbury 2-5, N Robinson 2-4). Team
Rebounds: 13. Blocked Shots: 0.
Turnovers:14 (J Crawford 5, Z Randolph 2, R
Balkman 2, E Curry 2, S Marbury, Q
Richardson, N Robinson). Steals: 5 (J
Crawford 2, S Marbury, N Robinson, R
Balkman).

-------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA 28 22 23 20 - 93
NEW YORK 21 33 21 22 - 97
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: New York - 2 (Defensive
Three, 5:30 1st; Defensive Three, 10:18 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 19,763. T: 2:14.
Officials: Courtney Kirkland, Joe Derosa,
Matt Boland.</div>
 
By Larry Fleisher
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Considering all the bad publicity IsiahThomas and the New York Knicks received during the offseason,the last thing they needed was another loss in the home opener.

Jamal Crawford led six Knicks in double figures with 24 pointsas the Knicks snapped a five-game losing streak in home openerswith a 97-93 victory over the rebuilding Minnesota Timberwolveson Sunday night.


Stephon Marbury added 17 and seven assists for New York, whichrecovered from a 110-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers onFriday in its season opener.


"It's very important," Marbury said. "One, our fans will havesomething to talk about when they go home, which is a greatthing. Whenever, New York is happy for us, it makes the game somuch easier to come and play."


Trailing by three points, Timberwolves coach Randy Wittmaninserted 3-point specialist Antoine Walker into the game with6.9 seconds remaining but his shot from the arc was long.

"I just knew we had to get the shot off," Walker said. "Thatwasn't for me originally. It wasn't the best situation that wehad to get a shot out to the basket."


Randolph grabbed the rebound and sealed the win with a freethrow. That sequence capped Randolph's second straightdouble-double as he overcame a rough start and finished with 15points and 10 rebounds.


"He scratched out a double-double tonight," Thomas said. "Hehad the big rebound. It was one of those games that it wasn'this best game, but when you look at a player such as himself andhe battled and didn't have a great shooting night, that's whenyou know you have something really special."


"I had a little bit (of jitters)," Randolph said. "I'm gladit's over."


The Knicks took a 75-73 lead into the fourth and held Minnesotawithout a basket until Rashad McCants' 3-pointer made it atwo-point game at the 8:38 mark. They then lost the lead whenTheo Ratliff converted a hook shot over Curry with just 7:30remaining.


Marbury returned to the game and the Knicks regained the lead onCrawford's jumper, which made it 83-81 with just under sevenminutes left. That triggered a 12-6 stretch that put New Yorkin front by six points with 3:28 remaining on Curry's dunk.

Crawford, who has 49 points in two games, made 8-of-15 shots andscored 10 points in the fourth.


"That's what he does," Curry said of Crawford. "After playingwith him for so long, you kind of expect that. He is a greatplayer."


The Timberwolves came right back and were within 94-91 onconsecutive baskets by Al Jefferson. Crawford made two freethrows to restore the five-point edge.


But the Knicks could not get the defensive rebound on GregBuckner's miss and Ryan Gomes made a pair at the line, whichmade it 96-93.


With their lead down to three, the Knicks went to Crawford, whomissed a 3-pointer that went in and out. But the ball went offa Minnesota defender and New York retained possession.

Marbury then dished to Randolph, who missed an easy hoop and,after Curry missed a follow shot with 15.8 seconds left, Gomesgrabbed the rebound, and Minnesota called timeout - setting upWalker's miss.


"We have to continue to play like we are," Timberwolves coachRandy Wittman said. "Right now our identity is that we aregoing to play hard. Both games we have fought back to at leasthave a shot at a tie."


New York last won a home opener in 2001 when it defeated theWashington Wizards. That was so long ago that Jeff Van Gundywas coaching New York and Michael Jordan was starting his secondcomeback from retirement.


Since that win, the Knicks have lost home openers under coachesDon Chaney, Lenny Wilkens, Larry Brown and Thomas.

In recent years, Wilkens was at the helm for a 34-point loss tothe Boston Celtics - the worst in team history - Brown coachedan 11-point defeat to Washington, and Thomas presided over a14-point loss to the Indiana Pacers en route to a 2-10 start athome.


"It is always good to win your home opener," Thomas said. "Forus, here in New York, we struggled last year at the start of theseason and to come out and win the first game (was good). Thefans were great tonight. They were very supportive. Theywanted to see a good basketball game, and I thought they sawone."


"It feels really good," Crawford said. "I think our fans arereally huge. The fans came out, and they were really warm forus."


Before all the injuries hit last March, the Knicks had begun toplay better at home and had gained some of their fans back. Thatwas before Thomas and Madison Square Garden lost a civil trialfor sexual harrassment against former team employee AnuchaBrowne Sanders.


Perhaps fearful of some negative backlash from the selloutcrowd, Thomas was introduced quickly before his team.

Once the game started, the Knicks fell behind by seven after oneas they shot 35 percent (8-of-23).


They began to get back in the game in the second when Thomasused Crawford, Curry, Nate Robinson, Renaldo Balkman and DavidLee in the lineup together. That unit opened the quarter with a15-8 spurt as the Knicks took the lead with 6:44 remaining onCrawford's crossover drive to the hoop.


They went ahead by as many as nine and took a 54-50 lead intohalftime.


Gomes scored 17 points, reserve Craig Smith added 14 and AlJefferson scored 10 of his 12 in the first quarter forMinnesota.


The Timberwolves, who were playing their second game in thepost-Kevin Garnett era, held a 41-34 rebounding advantage butonly went to the foul line 10 times.


"I think defensively, not giving them so many free throws,"Gomes said. "You can't have that. No matter how well you'reshooting, the clock is stopped and (you get) two free throws,and it will give your team an opportunity to at least put somepoints on the board without having (the clock stop)."
 
NBA: MINNESOTA at NEW YORK

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
MINNESOTA 93
NEW YORK 97 FINAL</div>
 
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