Griffin dusts off Seattle

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled for several seasons to find a reliable center. Eddie Griffin sure looked the part Wednesday night.

Making his first start of the season because of a banged-up frontcourt, Griffin recorded his second double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and blocked four shots in Minnesota’s 108-95 win over Seattle.

Combined with Wally Szczerbiak’s 30 points and Kevin Garnett’s 26 points and 10 rebounds, Griffin helped the Wolves snap their two-game losing streak. The Wolves won for only the second time in eight games.

“As long as he is playing at that level, he is our starting center,” Wolves coach Dwane Casey said of Griffin, who wasn’t available to reporters after the game.

With starting center Michael Olowokandi sidelined by a right elbow injury and backup Mark Madsen limited by a bruised back, Minnesota kept a three-guard lineup for most of the game with Garnett and Griffin up front.

The smaller lineup helped the Wolves shoot 58 percent. Griffin went 8 for 11 from the floor – including 2 for 4 from 3-point range – and his defense and rebounding helped set up several fast breaks that led to dunks and easy layups for Minnesota.

“The game is so much easier when we get the ball up the floor,” Szczerbiak said.

Szczerbiak shot 12 for 18 from the floor and 3 for 5 from behind the arc. Casey said Minnesota focused on setting up Szczerbiak, a dangerous perimeter shooter who’s led the Wolves in scoring in 11 of 13 December games. He’s topped 20 points in each of the past nine games, the longest such streak of his career.

“My philosophy is any open look is an open look,” Szczerbiak said.

Seattle committed 22 turnovers that led to 28 points.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Ray Allen said. “I thought we were so close to busting open, but we gave it away.”

Minnesota led 76-52 in the third quarter before Seattle climbed back into the game with a 20-4 run to make it 80-72 with 8:45 to play.

But Garnett energized the crowd with a dunk, and Szczerbiak added a fast-break layup and a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 87-72.

“We had a turnover, missed shots and Wally hits a 3,” Seattle’s Damien Wilkins said. “I don’t know exactly how it went, but we were right there and then 60 seconds later we weren’t.”

Seattle, which didn’t come closer than 10 points the rest of the way, responded by losing its cool, as Danny Fortson was ejected after arguing with the officials.

Allen led Seattle with 24 points, while Reggie Evans and Wilkins each had 15. Rashard Lewis scored 14.

Ronald Murray started for Seattle two nights after dislocating two fingers on his right shooting hand during a victory against Boston, finishing 1 for 12 for three points.

Notes

Seattle had won four of the last five meetings against Minnesota. … Sonics guard Luke Ridnour didn’t travel with the team because of a chest injury he suffered last Friday against Dallas. A team spokesman said it was possible Ridnour would meet the team today in Denver, although coach Bob Weiss didn’t sound optimistic.