Utah defeats Wolves 95-77

A poor man's Wally Szczerbiak is plenty good enough when the real one isn't available.

Utah's Matt Harpring, who shares many of the same characteristics as the Timberwolves' injured swingman, had a Szczerbiak kind of night in the Jazz's 95-77 victory over the Wolves on Friday night at the Delta Center. Harpring scored a career high for the second game in a row, topping his 30 points against the Clippers three nights earlier with 33.

The scrappy 6-foot-7 player hit 13 of 18 shots, nailed all four of Utah's three-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds.

A blue-collar, well-traveled fellow -- four teams in five seasons -- Harpring several times burned the Wolves' Kevin Garnett for sagging off him, but was just as pesky releasing quickly for fast-break buckets or tipping at missed Jazz shots for second-chance points and three of his team's 17 offensive boards.

Via Star Tribune

Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves

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Stockton's assist total amazes Strickland

That Timberwolves guard Rod Strickland ranks sixth all-time on the NBA's assists list is impressive.

That Strickland, despite his lofty status, has fewer than half as many assists as all-time leader John Stockton is astounding.

Strickland, a 14-year veteran who signed with the Wolves in October, was a solid sixth, with 7,539 assists heading into Friday night's 95-77 loss at Utah. He trailed No. 5 Isiah Thomas by 1,522, but had 147 more than Maurice Cheeks and 328 more than Lenny Wilkens. Gary Payton, the nearest active player, was No. 10 at 7,094.

"I've always prided myself on getting the ball to the right people at the right time," Strickland said before tipoff. "I've always wanted to end up on top somewhere in assists."

Via Minnesota Star-Tribune

Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves

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Sixth Sense

The unfairness of it all, matching a 6-foot-7 forward against a 7-foot superstar like Kevin Garnett. That mismatch practically guarantees a long, frustrating night, fairly ensures a couldn't-miss-if-he-was-blindfolded hot streak, and all but begs for a career-high scoring night. Sure enough, Matt Harpring got it. Three nights after his first 30-point game, Harpring set a new best-game standard Friday, blitzing the Timberwolves with 33 points, four three-pointers, nine rebounds and just five missed shots in the Delta Center. Just as important for the Jazz, he guarded Garnett so persistently -- with a whole lot of help from his teammates -- the $120-million man was muttering to himself, and Harpring, as Utah raced to its sixth straight victory, 95-77 over Minnesota.

Via Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves

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