Wolves edge Denver

DENVER -- Kevin Garnett's determination has the Minnesota Timberwolves within a game of reaching the second round.

Garnett had 27 points, 14 rebounds and five assists Tuesday night, helping the Timberwolves hold off the Denver Nuggets 84-82 for a 3-1 series lead.

Garnett had several heated exchanges with the Nuggets after being pushed around in Game 3, but kept his cool this time. He finished 8- for-17 and was 11-for-15 on free throws to put Minnesota in position to reach the second round first time in eight tries.

It almost wasn't enough.

Minnesota led by eight midway through the fourth quarter, but Marcus Camby cut it to 76-74 on a 3-point play with 4:43 left that got the crowd on its feet.

The Timberwolves pushed it back to a six-point lead, but Voshon Lenard hit a 3-pointer and had a steal that led to another 3 that made it 81-80 with 1:14 left.

Latrell Sprewell answered with a 3-pointer in the corner, then Nene scored on a dunk to make it 84-82 with 18 seconds left. Sprewell missed two free throws with 12 seconds remaining at the other end. But Andre Miller missed a shot in the lane and Lenard was nowhere close on a turnaround at the buzzer.

Game 5 is Friday in Minnesota.

Minnesota played without sixth man Wally Szczerbiak, who broke three vertebrae in a nasty fall in Game 3, but got 14 points from defensive specialist Trenton Hassell and 15 from Sam Cassell.

Lenard had 28 points and Miller 13 for Denver, but star rookie Carmelo Anthony had just two points on 1-for-16 shooting against Hassell and spent the final minutes of the fourth quarter waving a towel from the bench.

Anthony struggled from the start, missing all nine shots in the first half and had a runner from halfcourt waved off because it came after the buzzer.

It didn't get much better to start the second half. Anthony shot an airball on an open 3-pointer and missed three more shots before scoring on a breakaway at 6:31 after stealing the ball from Hassell.

It got worse a few minutes later, when Anthony had to come out after stepping on Camby's foot and twisting his left knee. He returned four minutes later with a wrap on his knee, but missed his next four shots before being pulled.

NOTES: A moment of silence was held before tipoff to honor former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, who was killed in action in Afghanistan last week. . . . The start was delayed 20 minutes because the previous game on television, New Orleans-Miami, ran late. . . . The Nuggets were loose before the game. Much of the conversation centered on backup forward Chris Andersen's hair, which looked like he had put up in curlers. "I can't stop talking about it," reserve guard Jeff Trepanier said with a laugh.

NBA Playoff glance

Eastern

-- Indiana vs. Boston

Indiana wins series 4-0

-- New Jersey vs. New York

New Jersey wins series 4-0

-- Detroit vs. Milwaukee

Detroit leads series 3-1

Game 5, Thursday, 6 p.m.

-- Miami vs. New Orleans

Series tied 2-2

Game 5, Friday, 5 p.m.

Western

-- Minnesota vs. Denver

Minnesota leads series 3-1

Game 5, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

-- L.A. Lakers vs. Houston

Lakers lead series 3-1

Game 5, tonight, 8:30 p.m.

-- San Antonio vs. Memphis

San Antonio wins series 4-0

-- Sacramento vs. Dallas

Sacramento leads series 3-1

Game 5, Thursday, 8:30 p.m.

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