MINNEAPOLIS - There are, in the course of any NBA season, a handful of games that will be won or lost, regardless of what happens on the court.
And then there are the games like the 90-86 decision that the Washington Wizards dropped to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night, the ones that should be safely tucked away in the win column, but instead become losses that eat away at you.
Armed with a 14-point third-quarter lead, the Wizards (1-3) proceeded to go nearly seven minutes into the fourth period without a basket, hitting just two of 22 field-goal attempts for the quarter, as the Timberwolves stole a game.
"We had some opportunities, but I think our biggest lapse was not being able to get stops on the defensive end," said guard Jerry Stackhouse, who led all scorers with 25 points. "We had an opportunity to blow the game open, but we didn't take advantage. They kept fighting. That's what teams do at home. We just have to find a way on the road to close good teams out."
The Timberwolves (3-2), who should have been weary from playing the back end of the first of 20 back-to-back sets they'll play this year, nonetheless stormed back from nine down to start the fourth quarter.
Kendall Gill, acquired late in the preseason by Minnesota, was brilliant in the fourth, scoring nine of his team-high 22 points, including the three-pointer that capped a 19-7 run and gave Minnesota the lead at 85-82 with 2:50 to go.
"I've been working very hard because of my age," said Gill, 34. "I have to put in extra work to compete with the younger players. I don't like people telling me that I'm too old. I'm not old. I can do the same things if I just get the opportunity. Fortunately, I'm getting the chance."
Gill, who is getting minutes usually allocated to Wally Szczerbiak (sore toe), also blocked a Michael Jordan layup attempt with 48.4 seconds to go for good measure.
"He [Jordan] is a legend," said Gill, who is five years younger than Jordan. "I wish I could see him the way he used to play. It seems like he is holding back a bit. Maybe he's trying to get the younger guys involved."
Indeed, Jordan, who had just 10 points on 5-for-14 shooting, looked human. A second shot was capped by center Rasho Nesterovic 45 seconds earlier, indicating that he was, in fact, hoping that someone would bail the Wizards out of their fourth quarter free-fall.
"I felt fine [in the fourth quarter]," said Jordan. "Those were two incidences where I had good looks. I missed two shots where I felt that I had a good look. We have to be in sync. Everybody's expecting me to take over in the fourth quarter, but a lot of times the defense is focusing on me. So, it's up to me to get the ball to the right people. I think we shot 9 percent in the fourth quarter. You can't finish games like that, especially after playing three good quarters."
Indeed, even after a fourth slow start, the Wizards, who play host to Cleveland tonight and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, were solidly in control, cruising along, leading 71-57 with 2:30 to go in the third.
But the Timberwolves clawed back, gaining momentum at the end of the third, when the Wizards drew a 24-second shot clock violation on their final possession, then Troy Hudson, who along with Kevin Garnett, had 17 points each, hit a three-pointer at the horn from just inside halfcourt to slice Washington's lead to nine.
"We didn't have a good possession," said Washington coach Doug Collins. "I took a 20-second timeout. I thought we could get something and it didn't work. And then, just to compound it, Troy Hudson throws in a three. ... That just made it that much worse."
No worse than the loss itself.
Wizards tonight
Opponent:Cleveland Cavaliers
Site:MCI Center, Washington
Time:7 p.m.
TV/Radio:Comcast SportsNet/WTEM (980 AM)