Minnesota to rely on jump shot against top-seeded San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves consider the jumper to be their best shot at beating the San Antonio Spurs.

David Robinson welcomes Minnesota's best shot, but believes the Timberwolves' dependency on the jumper will aid the Spurs.

"When you live by that jump shot, you also die by that jump shot," Robinson said. "It's extremely difficult, even if you're a great executing team, to sit there and make jump shots all series long. But they have won a lot of games making shots this year, so you never know."

The Spurs, who have the best record in the league, begin shooting for their second NBA title in three years when they take on the Timberwolves in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Saturday.

The top-seeded Spurs and eighth-seeded Timberwolves will play the first two games in San Antonio before moving the best-of-five series to Minnesota.

The Spurs will need to shift their defensive style to affect Minnesota's shooting.

Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders welcomes the team's contrasting styles, especially with the Spurs' Tim Duncan and Robinson each averaging two blocks per game.

"They make it very difficult for teams to score inside, but we don't do that," Saunders said.

Defensively, the Timberwolves will attempt to contain the Spurs' twin towers, as well as Derek Anderson.

"Obviously, everybody's going to pay attention to the two 21s playing," Minnesota's Kevin Garnett said, referring to himself and Duncan. "But D.A. has killed us in the past. For us to win, we're going to have to slow him down."

Anderson, who signed with San Antonio in the offseason, scored 29 points against Minnesota in his second game with the Spurs, had 21 in another victory over the Timberwolves, and scored 30 points in a 106-100 overtime victory against the Wolves last month.

Minnesota guard Terrell Brandon hopes the addition of Felipe Lopez will help. Lopez, 6-foot-5, is an inch taller than Minnesota's other shooting guard, Anthony Peeler.

Anderson "is a high-energy, explosive player," Brandon said. "Felipe brings those long arms, and hopefully he can defend him."

For their part, the Spurs will work to stop Garnett, who averaged 22 points, 11.4 rebounds and five assists this season.

"In the playoffs, it's not as much a matter of records as it is matchups," Saunders said.

The Spurs are aware of Garnett's ability.

"He is the heart and soul of their team," Duncan said. "He is a big part of everything they do. ... Knowing that he is going to bring some very high intensity and try to really bring it at us, we'll have to match that and try to take that away from them."