SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 10 (Ticker) -- In an improbable finish to an unbelievable game, Trenton Hassell became an unlikely hero for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Hassell partially blocked Peja Stojakovic's desperation shot from the top of the arc just before the overtime buzzer as the Timberwolves escaped with a 114-113 triumph over the Sacramento Kings in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
In Game 2 on Saturday, Sacramento squandered a 10-point in the final four minutes as Minnesota tied the series.
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Without point guard Sam Cassell -- who committed four fouls in a 1:50 stretch earlier in the period and fouled out with 1:26 left -- Minnesota watched Sacramento storm back and tie it, 104-104, on a 3-pointer by Stojakovic with 10.7 seconds left.
"I thought it was déjà vu all over again," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. "It felt like we were back in the Target Center toward the end there."
Following a timeout, the Timberwolves worked the ball to Kevin Garnett, who was guarded by Brad Miller at the top of the arc. Garnett spun right, but Stojakovic knocked the ball loose and the MVP could not get off a shot before the buzzer.
In overtime, Minnesota took a 112-111 lead on a jumper by Latrell Sprewell with 59 seconds left and, after a miss by Stojakovic, Garnett made a difficult spinning jumper with the shot clock about to expire and 10.8 seconds remaining.
After two free throws by Stojakovic made it 114-113 with 6.1 seconds left, Minnesota called timeout and inbounded the ball to Garnett, who slipped and was called for traveling.
Following another timeout, Sacramento got the ball to Stojakovic, who scored 22 of his 29 points after the third quarter and all nine in overtime. But Hassell got a piece of the shot and Sprewell grabbed the rebound as time expired.
"You had to know that they were going to go to him," Hassell said. "He had the hot hand and (Mike) Bibby was out of the game, so you know it was going to go to him. I just had to stay in front of him and make him take a tough shot."
"We just switched everything," Saunders said. "Maybe they get it to Chris (Webber) if they needed to. They got it to their guy, Trenton made a huge play."
The Kings felt that Stojakovic was fouled. Replays seemed to indicate some slight contact with Hassell as the All-Star forward raised for his shot.
"I can talk all night about that last play, whether that's a foul or not," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "I thought it was, obviously, the referee didn't. I feel bad for Peja because he deserves more respect than that."
"I did try to avoid the foul but yet stay close to him, where he couldn't have room to shoot it," Hassell said. "When he took off running, I just backed up and he jumped into me."
Garnett collected 30 points and 15 rebounds and Sprewell added 25, nine and six assists for Minnesota, which improved to 3-0 at Arco Arena this season.
Game 4 is Wednesday at Sacramento.
"I have to take it to the guys to understand that they can't put it into just one game," said Adelman, who used a seven-man rotation. "It's 2-1. We have to make it 2-2 and go back to Minnesota. We know we can win there, we just have to take it over the hump and remember what got us here."
Minnesota closed the third quarter on a 20-7 run, scoring all but two points without Garnett, who went to the bench after picking up his fourth foul with 3:47 left. The Timberwolves twice led by 15 points in the fourth quarter before the Kings' late charge.
Sacramento's Doug Christie had a playoff career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds and Bibby chipped in 19 and a playoff career-best 10 assists before fouling out with 2:34 left in overtime.
"We're definitely going to bounce back, I'm not worried about that," Bibby said. "We kept fighting, we didn't give up. A lot of people in the stands were leaving, but we didn't give up. The last two games both hurt. I don't know which is worse, they both hurt."
