One-man teams can win games in the NBA. To compete for championships, however, usually requires a duo.

Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen. Shaquille O'Neal needed Kobe Bryant. Allen Iverson waits.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were just another nice outfit until Kevin Garnett got legitimate help this season from Wally Szczerbiak. Now they at least can be taken seriously as a candidate to move deep into the playoffs.

Garnett and Szczerbiak lead the Timberwolves into Gund Arena tonight for a date with the Cavaliers, who have lost 12 consecutive games. It is the first and only time that Minnesota, which also features former Cavs guard Terrell Brandon, will visit Cleveland.

Since the departures of Stephon Marbury and Tom Gugliotta at different times in 1999, Garnett had lacked a running mate. The Timberwolves' nightly fortunes depended upon the performance of "The Big Ticket."

They still do - Garnett is averaging 21.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists - but Szczerbiak has emerged to ease the burden considerably. A third-year pro out of Miami (Ohio), Szczerbiak is averaging 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

The combined output of the two is the main reason Minnesota sits 31-12, one of four teams in the league with 12 or fewer losses.

"I've always loved Kevin Garnett," Cavs coach John Lucas said. "I thought he could have done anything coming out of school. Wally's just gotten better and better each year.

"You used to say about Wally, 'He can't do this.' The next year, you're saying, 'He can't do something else.' Then the next year, you're out of 'can'ts.' He can do everything now."

In the 1999 draft, the Cavs explored opportunities to move up from the eighth slot overall for a shot at Szczerbiak. Nothing materialized, and the Timberwolves plucked him at No. 6. The Cavs selected Utah guard Andre Miller two picks later and are more than happy they did.

What the Timberwolves received was a 6-7 forward with athleticism and range. In his first two seasons in Minnesota, Szczerbiak gave indications of a bright future, averaging 11.6 and 14.0 points, respectively. But he did not begin to antagonize the opposition until coach Flip Saunders moved him to shooting guard before this season.

As coach of the U.S. Team in the Goodwill Games last summer, Saunders watched Szczerbiak succeed at the position. The Timberwolves also were bringing back power forward Joe Smith, whom they wanted to start. Smith at power forward meant Garnett, who stands 6-11 but moves with the fluidity of someone 6-4, could shift to small forward.

A whole lot of mismatches, and victories, have resulted. Garnett works over smaller players and is freed up from the physical grind down low. Szczerbiak can better play to his strengths, found in the open court and on the perimeter, while continuing to drive hard to the hoop or post up.

His 244-pound frame at shooting guard, coupled with a knack for putting the ball in the hoop from all angles, has Szczerbiak ranked seventh in the league in field-goal percentage (.517) entering last night. He was first among guards.

Szczerbiak's graduation to dangerous player unofficially came in two parts. On Jan. 4, he dropped a career-high 37 points on Utah. On Jan. 11, he scored 34 and Garnett had 32 as the Timberwolves ripped the Lakers, 120-102.

Against Los Angeles, Szczerbiak was 10-of-17 from the field and 13-of-13 from the line. No less a player than Bryant was left guessing.

Afterward, Bryant summed up the growing consensus around the league regarding Szczerbiak: "He's a better basketball player than I thought."