Peeler, Wolves romp past Suns

PHOENIX (AP) -- When Anthony Peeler starts, the Minnesota Timberwolves can't lose. So far, anyway.

The Timberwolves improved to 7-0 with Peeler as a starter Sunday night in a 108-88 rout of the listless and mistake-prone Phoenix Suns.

Peeler had a season-high 28 points and career-high 10 rebounds.

"I just try to go out there and raise the energy no matter what," Peeler said. "And when I start, it seems like I just bring it a little bit earlier. That's what's happened so far."

Peeler scored 19 in the first half as Minnesota took a 48-40 lead. The Timberwolves turned it into a blowout with a 20-4 third-quarter run.

The one-sided loss spoiled Penny Hardaway's return to the Phoenix lineup. Hardaway had missed the first 31 games of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

Suns coach Scott Skiles called his team's lack of effort "an embarrassment."

"I don't know what other than we absolutely did not show up," he said. "When we look at the videotape tomorrow, if anybody can look at that and say they played hard, they're kidding themselves."

Minnesota shot 52 percent, a season high for Phoenix opponents, to break a four-game road losing streak. It was the Timberwolves' first win in Phoenix in five games.

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders earned his 200th NBA coaching victory.

"I didn't even know," Saunders said. "It just shows I've been around for a while."

Kevin Garnett, who usually struggles against the defense of the Suns' Cliff Robinson, barely kept his string of double-digit scoring games alive at 245 with 11 points.

Garnett was 5-for-17 from the field. His last basket, a 22-footer, came with 2:13 to play, then he left the game. He did have seven assists and nine rebounds.

"He got everybody else involved," Saunders said. "Peeler had a great game and I think this was the best game I've seen Terrell (Brandon) play. He was so active."

MINNESOTA (108)

Szczerbiak 6-9 1-1 13, Garnett 5-17 1-1 11, Nesterovic 1-1 0-0 2, Brandon 9-15 0-0 19, Peeler 11-16 2-3 28, Billups 3-7 2-2 9, Garrett 4-8 0-0 8, Ellis 2-5 1-2 5, Mitchell 2-4 0-0 5, Slater 2-3 2-2 6, Avery 1-1 0-0 2, Day 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 46-87 9-11 108.

PHOENIX (88)

Marion 3-8 1-2 7, Robinson 1-7 1-2 4, Dudley 1-2 1-4 3, Kidd 6-14 5-5 20, Hardaway 4-10 0-0 9, Tsakalidis 4-7 2-4 10, Delk 5-12 5-5 17, Gugliotta 5-8 0-0 10, Rogers 3-6 1-2 7, McPherson 0-3 1-2 1. Totals 32-77 17-26 88.

Minnesota 19 29 35 25 -- 108

Phoenix 17 23 21 27 -- 88

3-Point Goals--Minnesota 7-15 (Peeler 4-7, Brandon 1-1, Mitchell 1-2, Billups 1-3, Szczerbiak 0-1, Day 0-1), Phoenix 7-14 (Kidd 3-5, Delk 2-3, Hardaway 1-1, Robinson 1-3, Marion 0-1, Rogers 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Minnesota 56 (Peeler 10), Phoenix 41 (Tsakalidis 8). Assists--Minnesota 29 (Garnett 7), Phoenix 18 (Delk 5). Total fouls--Minnesota 25, Phoenix 18. Technical--Minnesota illegal defense. A--17,531 (19,023).