Maybe Timberwolves guard Wally Szczerbiak thought the crowd at Rose Garden needed one more treat. Maybe the tight-as-Spandex game that included 17 lead changes, 12 ties and four double-doubles wasn't enough.
So after Trail Blazers forward Rasheed Wallace missed the final shot of the game, giving Minnesota a 95-93 victory and extending Portland's losing streak to four games, Szczerbiak grabbed the ball from teammate Kevin Garnett, roared and threw the ball toward the top of the lower deck.

It was that type of game: energetic, fun, loud, bruising and full of excitement. And it put an exclamation point on the Wolves' best December in franchise history, 10-5 for the month and an overall mark of 20-9.