(Friday, January 16th)

Final Score: Minnesota 105, Phoenix 103

Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Al Jefferson scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help the Minnesota Timberwolves upend the Suns, 105-103, and win in Phoenix for the first time since February 6, 2006.

Craig Smith added 18 and seven for the T'Wolves, who have won six of their last seven games. Kevin Love tallied 13 points and 14 boards in the win, while Randy Foye scored 15. Rodney Carney chipped in 17 points.

Shaquille O'Neal ended with 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns, who have dropped two in a row. Leandro Barbosa also dropped 22 points and Amare Stoudemire had 19 in defeat.

Down by a point with 2:22 left to play, O'Neal sunk a pair of free throws for a 101-100 Phoenix lead.

Foye answered with a bucket as the shot-clock expired, Love was fouled by Stoudemire and hit 1-of-2 at the line, and Carney had a fast break layup to give Minnesota a 105-101 advantage with 1:11 remaining.

Following an O'Neal free throw, Foye missed a three and Stoudemire was fouled with 31.4 ticks left. He hit 1-of-2 to make it 105-103.

The T'Wolves killed the clock and Sebastian Telfair took a long three-pointer as the clock was close to expiring. His bid caromed off the rim and Steve Nash eventually called timeout with 1.7 seconds showing.

After the stoppage, Jason Richardson launched a three from the right wing for the win. However, it did not fall and Minnesota escaped with the win.

"We have been practicing for this," said Foye. "We have basically been dedicating our whole life to coming in here and beating a team like this. We came in here and played our hearts out and we left with a victory."

The T'Wolves were on top 27-23 after the first quarter, but the Suns battled back to assume a 53-49 lead at the intermission.

Two Stoudemire baskets sparked a 14-4 Phoenix run with 7 1/2 minutes left in the third. Stoudemire had eight points on the run and Grant Hill accounted for the other six, giving the Suns a 73-62 lead.

Phoenix was up 79-73 heading into the final frame.

Mike Miller had two baskets and Smith a layup to tie the game at 79 with 10 1/2 minutes left in the game.

The teams traded baskets and a Telfair three-pointer put the visitors on top, 87-84. Then, following a Barbosa missed three, Carney added a fast break dunk for a five-point Minnesota lead.

The Suns responded with seven straight points, capped by O'Neal's turnaround bank shot, to assume a 91-89 with just under six minutes left.

Moments later, two free throws from Love made it 98-95.

"We didn't play well," said Nash. "We gave up too many offensive rebounds, second chance points and fast break points. We didn't deserve to win tonight."

Still down by three, Nash's fadeaway shot cut it to 100-99 with 2:51 showing on the clock.

Game Notes

Minnesota shot 43.3 percent from the field and Phoenix hit 50 percent of its shots. However, the Suns were just 2-for-14 from behind the arc. The T'Wolves hit 7-of-23 from downtown...The Suns fell to 12-8 at home...Minnesota owns a 6-13 record away from the Target Center this season...Phoenix defeated the Timberwolves, 110-102, at the Target Center on November 26 this season and had won two in a row and 11 of the last 15 matchups. The Suns were undefeated in the past five games as the host in this series.

01/17 01:13:10 ET