MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, 31 May 2004 — Kevin Garnett had 30 points and 19 rebounds as Minnesota beat Los Angeles 98-96 on Saturday, staving off elimination and ending the Lakers' win streak in close-out games at 12.

"We don't consider this thing over. We know we are a good team. We know we can beat this team," Garnett said.

Top-seeded Minnesota still trails the National Basketball Association semifinals, 3-2, and the series returns to Los Angeles for Game Six today. But the Timberwolves are alive, thanks to the NBA MVP.

Playing virtually the entire game, Garnett appeared to vow to go down shooting. He made 10-of-23 shots and 10-of-11 free throws.

"It is either do it or go home. You got to just come out swinging," Garnett said. "We beat this team by 20 points here one time. We got to find a way to carry the same energy on the road."

On defense, he took a turn on several players, including Shaquille O'Neal.

The Lakers had won 12 straight close-out games since losing Game Five of the 2000 NBA finals at Indiana.

After the game 2002 playoff MVP O'Neal complained about his teammates not passing him the ball.

Asked why his offensive numbers are down, O'Neal said, "You have to ask the guys with the ball."

With All-Star guard Sam Cassell sidelined by a back injury, Latrell Sprewell gave the offense a boost with 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting.

"No one wants the season to be over," Sprewell said. "We didn't want to go home and I think we played that way."

The Timberwolves contained O'Neal and Kobe Bryant for long stretches and opened an 86-70 lead midway through the fourth quarter before withstanding a pair of surges by the Lakers.

Bryant scored 23 points for Los Angeles, which gave away a pair of sizable leads in the first half and did not show their normal intensity in the second half until it was too late.

"We wanted to finish the series," said Bryant, who made 8-of-19 shots. "It wasn't for a lack of effort. That would be an injustice to Minnesota. They played extremely hard."

Minnesota went on a 13-0 run at the end of the second quarter. "That really got the momentum going for us," Fred Hoiberg said. Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said the key was containing O'Neal.

"Right now we are physically exhausted," Saunders said. "We tried to get Shaq involved on some pick and rolls.

"Down the stretch and in the second half I never had the sense that we were going to lose."

Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said they are looking forward to a couple of days of rest before Game Six today in Los Angeles. "This is our fifth game in eight days," Jackson said. "He (O'Neal) just keeps on going. Garnett looks like he was struggling to get up and down the court."

But Hoiberg scored 14 points off the bench. His free throw, plus four from Garnett, made it 93-80 with 1:31 left.

"Freddy's shot got us back in it and our crowd going," Garnett said.