Timberwolves shoot down Hawks

ATLANTA (AP) -- Kevin Garnett scored 25 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the struggling Atlanta Hawks 94-84 Saturday night.

Garnett, coming off a season-high 32-point performance in an overtime win over San Antonio on Friday night, picked up his eighth double-double in Minnesota's 10 games.

He hit his first six shots, the final basket coming on a reverse dunk that put the Timberwolves up 40-28 and matched their biggest lead.

Garnett, who matched Chauncey Billups with a game-high five assists, added nine points in the fourth quarter, his final basket coming on a 20-foot jumper that made it 90-84.

The Hawks extended their franchise-worse start by dropping to 1-10. Jim Jackson led Atlanta with 21 points. Alan Henderson added 19.

The Timberwolves hit their first nine shots and led 32-22 after going 14-for-17 from the field in the first quarter.

After Garnett's second-quarter reverse dunk, Minnesota missed 10 of its next 11 shots as the Hawks took a 45-44 lead into halftime.

Minnesota retook control as Wally Szczerbiak scored 13 of his 17 points in the third quarter, seven coming on free throws. The Timberwolves scored nine unanswered points to end the third quarter leading 74-65 on Szczerbiak's 18-footer.

Notes: Dikembe Mutombo ended a three-game drought when he blocked Anthony Peeler's layup in the third quarter. In his first four years with the Hawks, Mutombo never went longer than one game without a block. He entered the season No. 7 on the NBA's all-time shot blocking list. ... Garnett had nine rebounds in the two games he failed to register a double-double.

Saturday's game

MINNESOTA (94)

Garnett 10-15 4-4 25, Szczerbiak 4-11 9-10 17, Nesterovic 0-1 0-0 0, Billups 5-11 6-6 17, Peeler 4-9 3-4 11, Garrett 0-1 0-0 0, Ellis 4-8 6-6 14, Day 0-0 2-2 2, Avery 2-4 2-2 8, Mitchell 0-2 0-0 0, Slater 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-62 32-34 94.

ATLANTA (84)

D.Johnson 3-7 0-0 7, Henderson 9-13 1-2 19, Mutombo 4-9 2-4 10, Maloney 4-7 1-1 9, Jackson 6-12 8-8 21, Mottola 0-0 2-2 2, Terry 3-8 4-6 11, L.Wright 0-8 1-2 1, Crawford 0-1 0-0 0, Robinson 1-7 2-2 4. Totals 30-72 21-27 84.

Minnesota 32 12 29 21 -- 94

Atlanta 22 23 20 19 -- 84

3-Point Goals--Minnesota 4-10 (Avery 2-4, Garnett 1-1, Billups 1-4, Peeler 0-1), Atlanta 3-14 (D.Johnson 1-1, Jackson 1-2, Terry 1-3, L.Wright 0-1, Maloney 0-3, Robinson 0-4). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Minnesota 43 (Garnett 11), Atlanta 40 (Robinson 8). Assists--Minnesota 12 (Billups, Garnett 5), Atlanta 12 (Jackson, Maloney 4). Total fouls--Minnesota 27, Atlanta 27. A--13,036 (19,445).