Jan. 22, 2002

By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - After a fifth straight early exit from the playoffs last year, the Minnesota Timberwolves wondered what they'd have to do to advance past the first round.

Their do-it-all superstar, Kevin Garnett, needed a sidekick. Without much salary-cap room or a high draft pick, it seemed Minnesota would have to concoct a trade involving Wally Szczerbiak, Terrell Brandon and possibly a reserve to bring another impact player to their lineup.

Though the front office insists talks never got serious, the Timberwolves are clearly relieved they never dealt Szczerbiak.

Riding a nine-game winning streak into this weekend, Midwest Division-leading Minnesota has found its No. 2 go-to guy.

"Wally deserves to be an All-Star," said Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders, who could find himself coaching the Western Conference team next month if Minnesota keeps winning.

"With the level he's playing at and the impact he's had on our team, I think he has as good a chance as anyone."

Szczerbiak, who switched from small forward to shooting guard this year, is averaging nearly 20 points a game. He ranks in the top 10 in 3-point shooting percentage and is the only guard among the league's top 10 field-goal shooters.

At 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds, Szczerbiak - in his third pro season - also has a size advantage over most of his opponents at the position.

"I've never seen Ray Allen or Reggie Miller run around like that until Wally bumps him," teammate Anthony Peeler said. "They're used to playing little guys like us, but Wally just sets the tone."

In games when Garnett's production has dwindled, Szczerbiak has often done enough to offset it. On nights when they're both on, look out.

On Jan. 11, Szczerbiak scored 34 and Garnett had 32 in Minnesota's 120-102 victory over the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Szczerbiak shot 10-for-17 from the field and 13-for-13 from the foul line, and wore out his All-Star opponent at the other end.

"He's a better basketball player than I thought," Kobe Bryant said.

Playing in Australia for the Saunders-coached U.S. team in the Goodwill Games last August, Szczerbiak began the season in much better condition. He missed most of the 2000-01 preseason with a sore knee.

"Missing training camp last year, he never got the chance to really work on things," Saunders said. "Now he's reaping the benefit of all his hard work in the summer."

Though Szczerbiak led the Americans in shooting during the Goodwill Games, he doesn't see his Australian experience as a confidence-builder. But it didn't hurt.

"It was just a way to get in shape," Szczerbiak said. "Flip got a chance to see what I could do in a different team situation as more of a leader."

Szczerbiak is not the most graceful player on the court, but he's not slow, either. Most important, he knows how to score.

"It may not look that pretty when he's going from A to Y," Timberwolves forward Sam Mitchell said. "But when Wally gets to Z, he can do something a lot of people can't. He can put the ball in the basket."

Because of that occasionally awkward style, Szczerbiak might have had to try harder than most to earn his team's confidence and his opponents' respect.

Last season, Szczerbiak and Garnett got into a fight at practice after Garnett supposedly criticized Szczerbiak for his defense. While the two aren't soul mates, their relationship is cordial on a team full of players who get along very well with each other.

"A lot of times when you're a rookie in this league, you get treated unfairly by coaches and players," Szczerbiak said. "I never believed in that, especially being a person who tries to work hard every day and conduct myself as a professional. Even though I was forced to earn my stripes, I don't think the other guys should really be forced to do that if they can help us win."

With four years of college experience at Miami of Ohio, the 24-year-old Szczerbiak is something of an anomaly in an NBA that gets younger all the time. He plays with teen-age, fist-pumping enthusiasm on the court and conducts himself with courtesy and cool confidence in the locker room after games.

There is still room for improvement: Szczerbiak has had a habit of getting caught out of position on defense or messing up an offensive set. A running joke in Minnesota last summer was that the Wolves couldn't trade Szczerbiak, because then the coaches wouldn't know who to yell at.

Szczerbiak's not hearing as much from Saunders this year.

"I don't see any other '2' guards who have been as productive as Wally, other than Kobe," Garnett said. "The thing that makes Wally what he is is that he's one of the best scorers in the league. But I think people underestimate his defensive abilities."

Szczerbiak doesn't argue with his teammate's assessment.

"I'm going to keep getting better," Szczerbiak said. "I'm not going to stop here."