NBA: Minnesota 94, Sacramento 89

MINNEAPOLIS, May 9 (UPI) -- The Sacramento Kings blew a 10-point lead in the final four minutes in a 94-89 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday night.

Top-seeded Minnesota rode clutch shooting from Sam Cassell to even the Western Conference semifinal at a game apiece.

Cassell scored eight of his 19 points in the last three minutes, fueling a 16-1 run that closed the game and had the Target Center in a panic. Just minutes earlier, the sellout crowd had grown deathly quiet as Sacramento opened an 88-78 lead.

"It was looking like we were going down 2-0, but we knew what we had to do," Cassell said. "Down 10 with four (minutes) to go, no need to point fingers, no need crying over spilt milk."

After a drive by Latrell Sprewell and two free throws by Garnett, Cassell had one of his patented plays. He drove and dished to Garnett, recovered the deflected pass, dribbled to the corner and drilled a 3-pointer to make it 88-85 with 2:36 left.

Cassell then hit a jump shot and Garnett sank two more free throws to give Minnesota the lead for good with 1:45 to go.