Knicks squander 21-point lead, lose at Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS - The three-point shot is perhaps the game's most amazing momentum-maker and something Mike D'Antoni called "an awesome weapon." But as the Knicks learned Friday night in a 112-103 loss to the Timberwolves here at Target Center, that weapon, and the momentum, can also destroy you.

The Knicks (3-6) took a 21-point lead early in the third quarter and went into cruise control, or better yet, cruise missile mode, as the threes they launched to build the lead continued to fly, only with decreasing accuracy. As a result, the lead followed the same trend with every misfire from downtown until the Timberwolves (3-7) turned the deficit into a lead and, eventually, a win. And the Knicks turned what looked like a much-needed victory into a devastating loss, their fourth straight.

It was one that Amar'e Stoudemire, who was plagued with foul trouble, tried to accept as his own after he was thoroughly outplayed by Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love, who had an incredible 31 points and a franchise-record 31 rebounds in 40:39. It was the NBA's first 30-30 game in 28 years.

"This goes on my shoulders," said Stoudemire, who had 14 points and nine rebounds in 27:52. "I take this loss on me. I got into foul trouble and they took advantage of that."

Really, Minnesota took advantage of the Knicks' predilection for the three-pointer, a big part of the D'Antoni offense but only when they go in. The problem for these Knicks, and something president Donnie Walsh may need to address, is they don't have nearly enough consistent shooters to play under D'Antoni's perpetual green light.

And Raymond Felton, despite 22 points (3-for-5 from downtown) and eight assists, still hasn't taken control of the offense that desperately needs a floor general.

Danilo Gallinari led the Knicks with 25 points, but 18 were scored in the first half. He hit 4-for-11 from three-point range. For the game, the Knicks shot a respectable 11-for-29 from downtown, but were hit just 4-for-14 in the second half. The team shot 27.9 percent from the field in the second half, yet out of 31 misses, the Knicks managed just four offensive rebounds.

"We weren't attacking the rim, we were settling real quick," D'Antoni said of his offense - or lack thereof - in the second half. "No excuses, we shouldn't have done that."

Landry Fields' three with 9:02 left in the third gave the Knicks a 78-57 lead and they were rolling, even with Stoudemire on the bench with four fouls. After Wilson Chandler's three with 6:44 left made it 83-67, the Knicks missed 14 of their next 15 shots, including seven straight threes and the Timberwolves turned it into a 23-4 run that spilled into the fourth quarter to take a 90-87 lead on, fittingly, a three-pointer by Corey Brewer with 9:22 left in the game. Minnesota was 8-for-20 from downtown.

The rapid succession of Knicks misses also provided momentum for Love, who grabbed 22 boards in the second half alone and had 25 points in the second half, as well. Michael Beasley had 35 points for the T-Wolves.

The Knicks played without center Ronny Turiaf (sprained left knee) for a second straight game. Turiaf remains day-to-day and D'Antoni said the 6-10 center could be back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockets or Tuesday in Denver.