Garnett burns the streaking Suns

The hard-driving Phoenix Suns had been blowing through the NBA in January, piling up points, highlights and victories at breakneck speed.

They finished the month only one win away from perfection after crashing into a 6-foot-11 road block named Kevin Garnett.

Garnett almost single-handedly ended the Suns’ 17-game winning streak, scoring 44 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in Minnesota’s 121-112 victory on Monday night at Minneapolis.

“People who say he can’t carry the load, take a look at this game film,” new Timberwolves Coach Randy Wittman said.

Garnett scored 15 points in the fourth, including a looping fallaway from the baseline that gave Minnesota a 118-109 lead with 1:55 to play, and put Wittman on the way to a win in his home debut.

Raja Bell scored 26 points and Steve Nash had 20 points and 18 assists for the Suns, who were looking to tie for the fourth-longest winning streak in NBA history.

After scoring 95 points in the first three quarters, Phoenix managed 17 in the fourth and looked stagnant.

“Better to lose that way than to lose when we beat ourselves,” Nash said. “Kevin was sensational. We just didn’t make shots at the end at the clip Kevin was making them.”

In addition to the streak’s end, it was Phoenix’s first loss of 2007, but Coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t sound worried, saying, “We’ll start another one. This is fun.”

New Jersey 116, Utah 115 -- Vince Carter pulled up from about 30 feet and made a three-point basket at the buzzer at Salt Lake City to help the visiting Nets end a five-game trip with back-to-back wins.

Carter scored 29 of his 33 points in the second half, including a one-handed dunk that got New Jersey within 114-113 with six seconds left. Utah’s Deron Williams then made only one of two free throws with five seconds to play, leaving the door open for Carter.

Mehmet Okur had 18 points, 11 rebounds and had five assists for Utah, playing without leading scorer and rebounder Carlos Boozer (knee) and coach Jerry Sloan (flu).

Houston 105, Philadelphia 84 -- Tracy McGrady scored 25 points before sitting out the fourth quarter and Rafer Alston had nine of the Rockets’ season-high 31 assists at Houston.

Andre Iguodala had 19 points for the 76ers, who shot 50% in the first quarter but made only 24 of 68 shots the rest of the way.

Charlotte 105, Denver 101 -- Gerald Wallace scored 25 points and had a key block of Carmelo Anthony while clinging to a late one-point lead in helping the visiting Bobcats hand the Nuggets their third straight loss.

Allen Iverson scored 31 points and Anthony had 25 for Denver.

New Orleans 103, Portland 91 -- Leading by only two in the fourth quarter, the Hornets went on a 10-2 run followed by Jannero Pargo’s 12 straight points in a victory at Oklahoma City.

David West had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Pargo had 16 for New Orleans, winners of six in a row at home. Zach Randolph led the Trail Blazers with 20 points.

Memphis 124, Sacramento 117 -- Pau Gasol scored 34 points and Mike Miller had 27 and the Grizzlies shot 58.6% and outrebounded the Kings, 47-25, at Memphis, Tenn., in winning for only the third time in their last 10 games.

Gasol was 14 of 17 from the field. Mike Bibby scored 23 points for the Kings, who lead by 11 at halftime.

Atlanta 93, Orlando 83 -- Joe Johnson had 22 of his 34 points in the second half at Atlanta to help the Hawks beat the Magic for the second time in four days and extend Orlando’s losing streak to three games.

Jameer Nelson had 16 points for Orlando, which has also lost eight of its last nine games.

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Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James said he’ll consider sitting out the next few games to rest a sore right toe he injured on a recent trip and aggravated during Sunday’s loss to Phoenix.

Cleveland has a busy week, playing four times between tonight and Sunday. X-rays and an MRI exam taken last week revealed no structural damage to James’ toe.

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Best streaks

On Monday night, Minnesota ended Phoenix’s 17-game winning streak, which tied the fifth-longest winning streak in NBA history:

*--* St Team Date 33 Lakers Nov. 5, 1971-Jan. 7, 1972 20 Milwaukee Feb. 6-Mar. 8, 1971. 19 Lakers Feb. 4-Mar. 13, 2000 18 Chicago Dec. 29, 1995-Feb. 2, 1996 18 Boston Feb. 24-Mar. 26, 1982 18 New York Oct. 24-Nov. 28, 1969 17 Phoenix Dec. 29, 2006-Jan. 29, 2007 17 San Antonio Feb. 29-Mar. 31, 1996 17 Boston Nov. 28, 1959-Jan. 1, 1960 17 Washington Nov. 16-Dec. 30, 1946 16 Lakers Dec. 11, 1999-Jan. 12, 2000 16 Portland Mar. 20-Apr. 19, 1991 16 Lakers Jan. 9-Feb. 5, 1991 16 Milwaukee Oct. 24-Nov. 25, 1970 16 Boston Dec. 19, 1964-Jan. 22, 1965

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Source: Associated Press