MINNEAPOLIS – Wally Szczerbiak’s 23 points led four starters in double figures as the Minnesota Timberwolves routed the Washington Wizards 109-74 Sunday.

Sam Cassell had 22 points, Kevin Garnett 18 and Latrell Sprewell 11 for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game losing streak. The Timberwolves have beaten the Wizards seven straight times.

Gilbert Arenas scored 21 points to lead Washington, which wrapped up a five-game road trip with its worst loss of the season, eclipsing a 105-74 setback at Cleveland Nov. 13. Larry Hughes added 13 for the Wizards.

Garnett scored nine of his points in the third quarter, including an alley-oop from Anthony Carter, as Minnesota built a 19-point lead. He added 12 rebounds and eight assists – the 14th team he’s led Minnesota in all three categories.

Fred Hoiberg, Cassell and Szczerbiak each scored during an 8-2 spurt in the first to put the Wolves up 21-14.

A tip-in and a dunk by Eddie Griffin, followed by Troy Hudson’s jumper gave Minnesota a 36-23 lead midway through the second quarter and Szczberiak added a 3-pointer just before the half for a 47-36 lead at the break.

Hughes pulled the Wizards within 10 points with a layup 4 minutes into the third quarter. Minnesota responded by outscoring the Wizards 12-5, including six points from Sprewell, over the next three minutes to push the lead back to 65-48.

Notes: The winning margin tied the Timberwolves’ largest of the season, set Dec. 8 at Philadelphia. It came one game after the team’s worst loss – 14 points – at San Antonio. … Washington placed guard Laron Profit on the injured list night with a strained left foot and activated guard Steve Blake. … Minnesota, which entered the game 26th in the league in free throw attempts, had none in the first half. They finished 21-for-22. … The game concluded a 13-game stretch in which the Timberwolves faced 10 non-playoff teams from last season. They went 8-5.

AP-ES-12-26-04 2237EST