TIMBERWOLVES ONE-MAN SHOW: GARNETT TOO TIRED TO CELEBRATE MVP PUTS ON ANOTHER SHOW TO SAVE HIS TEAM.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

MINNEAPOLIS - There is no celebrating a 3-2 deficit in the Western Conference finals, so Kevin Garnett refrained from standing atop the Target Center scorer's table after the Minnesota Timberwolves' 98-96 victory Saturday night.

What Garnett did on the court, however, might have been more remarkable than his performance in Game 7 of the semifinal series against the Sacramento Kings.

The obvious were the numbers in the final box score: 30 points, 19 rebounds and four assists in a draining 46 minutes Saturday (compared to his 32 points, 21 rebounds and five assists againstSacramento).

This was the second time in 11 days that Garnett had scored 30 points or more with the Timberwolves facing elimination.

The less obvious were the four positions Garnett played on the night, splitting time as usual at power forward and point guard with Sam Cassell out, then switching to center and shooting guard during one stretch of the second quarter.

In that quarter, Garnett defended Shaquille O'Neal for a possession, plus Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Karl Malone. He has played all but three minutes of the past two games, remarkably considering the Timberwolves had one day of rest entering the series.

``I said it five years ago,'' Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. ``What we ask KG to do is remarkable. The only other time I can remember something similar is Magic (Johnson) and what was asked of him with the Lakers against Philly.''

Saunders was referring to Johnson's performance in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals. Filling in for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson started at center, scored 42 points and had 15 rebounds as the Lakers won the championship.

Johnson dubbed the position ``C-F-G Rover,'' and the description would have applied to Garnett - the league's reigning MVP - in Game 5.

``He is physically exhausted,'' Saunders added of Garnett. ``I asked him in the first half if he wanted to come out, and he said no. I asked him in the third quarter, and he said no. After the stretch in the fourth, he finally asked to come out.''

The Lakers increasingly are having trouble stopping Garnett. He is averaging 24 points and 11.6 rebounds in five games and came one assist shy of a triple-double in Game 4 on Thursday.

Garnett took a seat on the bench for just 2 minutes, 24 seconds in the fourth, and even then the Lakers could not close the gap.

But Garnett's night was the tale of two halves. He started out shooting just 4 of 12 before hitting a 17-foot jumper, then banking a turnaround jumper from the baseline over Malone at the start of the Timberwolves' 13-0 run into halftime.

Garnett went on to shoot 4 for 9 in the second half, none more breathtaking than a 15-foot turnaround jumper over Malone with two minutes left in the third quarter.

As testament to Garnett's evening, the final shot of the third quarter belonged to him. He started with the ball at the top of the key, trying to shake Malone with a crossover dribble.

But Garnett ended up laying off a pass to Wally Szczerbiak, who buried a jumper to put Minnesota ahead by 10. Garnett scored 12 points in the third quarter and also went 10 for 11 from the free throw line.

``There is no tomorrow,'' Garnett said. ``We can't come into the locker room talking about we should've, could've, would've.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

While the Lakers' Karl Malone appears as if he just wants to get out of the way, the Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett squares up for another jumper Saturday.

Andy King/Associated Press