Timberwolves fall again to Lakers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal got all the help they needed from Robert Horry and Derek Fisher.

Fisher scored 21 points, including a clutch jump shot with 26.6 seconds left, to help the Los Angeles Lakers to a 106-99 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

"They do so much for us," Fisher said of Bryant and O'Neal. "The rest of us don't really get the opportunity too often. We have good quality players who can step up and make plays for us. I was glad I was able to do that tonight."

Bryant (30 points, playing with flu-like symptoms) and O'Neal (26 points, 15 rebounds) did their usual thing.

But Fisher helped extend the Timberwolves' defense, contain Minnesota's Troy Hudson in the second half and give the Lakers hope of salvaging a six-game road trip that started with lopsided losses at Chicago and Detroit.

Kevin Garnett had 23 points and 17 rebounds and Hudson scored 21 points -- only two after halftime -- for the Timberwolves, who lost their second straight at home after a 17-game winning streak at Target Center.

The Wolves also missed a chance to take the season series from the Lakers for the first time ever in front of their first sellout crowd of the season.

"The third quarter killed us," said Wally Szczerbiak, who finished with 15 points.

Minnesota shot 38 percent in the second half and committed 15 turnovers.

The Lakers, in the unfamiliar position of looking up in the Western Conference standings, moved a half-game behind Utah for sixth place. The Wolves are fifth.

"They're chasing people," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said, "but everybody's still chasing them. Until they get beat, they're still the defending champions."

After an even first half (Minnesota led 57-56 after Hudson beat the second-period buzzer with a 3-pointer), Szczerbiak sparked the Wolves with seven points during an 11-0 third-quarter run.

A few minutes later, though, center Rasho Nesterovic landed awkwardly after trying to grab the rebound of a missed shot by the Lakers and rolled around on the floor in pain, cradling his right ankle. Los Angeles then closed the quarter with a 15-4 run and led 85-79 headed into the final period.

"It was very distracting to see Rasho go out," Hudson said.

L.A. LAKERS (106)

Fox 2-5 0-0 5, Madsen 1-5 0-0 2, O'Neal 10-19 6-13 26, Bryant 11-24 7-7 30, Fisher 9-16 2-2 21, Walker 0-0 0-0 0, Horry 3-5 4-4 11, Pargo 1-2 0-0 2, George 2-7 1-2 5, Rush 1-2 0-0 2, Shaw 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 41-89 20-28 106.

MINNESOTA (99)

Szczerbiak 7-14 0-0 15, Garnett 8-21 7-9 23, Nesterovic 6-11 0-0 12, Peeler 4-6 0-0 9, Hudson 9-18 0-0 21, Smith 3-9 0-0 6, Gill 4-8 0-0 10, Wilks 0-0 1-2 1, M.Jackson 0-4 2-2 2, Trent 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 41-91 10-13 99.

L.A. Lakers 30 26 29 21 -- 106

Minnesota 30 27 22 20 -- 99

3-Point Goals--L.A. Lakers 4-11 (Horry 1-2, Bryant 1-2, Fisher 1-2, Fox 1-2, Rush 0-1, George 0-2), Minnesota 7-13 (Hudson 3-6, Gill 2-3, Szczerbiak 1-1, Peeler 1-2, Garnett 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--L.A. Lakers 51 (O'Neal 15), Minnesota 58 (Garnett 17). Assists--L.A. Lakers 24 (O'Neal 6), Minnesota 25 (Hudson 6). Total fouls--L.A. Lakers 15, Minnesota 19. A--20,199 (19,006).