MINNEAPOLIS – Kevin Garnett scored 23 points and tied his season high with 21 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a superb scoring performance by Jason Richardson and defeated the Golden State Warriors 103-90 .

Ricky Davis scored 19 for the Wolves, and Trenton Hassell added 15 as Minnesota won its second in a row by sending the Warriors to their sixth loss in seven games.

Richardson scored 36 for Golden State – three points shy of his season high. But he didn’t get much help from his teammates. Mike Dunleavy scored nine of his 13 points in the second quarter, and Baron Davis added 12.

Seeking to give his struggling squad a boost, Warriors coach Mike Montgomery installed Golden State’s 12th starting lineup of the season, plugging Davis and Andris Biedrins in place of Mickael Pietrus and Adonal Foyle.

Montgomery moved Troy Murphy in at center and slid Richardson into the power forward slot, giving the Warriors a smaller, speedier lineup.

But the Timberwolves’ size advantage served them well on the boards. They outrebounded Golden State 30-16 in the first half and 52-35 overall. Garnett had a season-high nine offensive rebounds, and the Wolves had 19 overall.

But Richardson kept Minnesota’s 24 second-chance points from turning the game into a rout. He scored 17 points in the third quarter as the Warriors fought their way into the lead.

With Garnett on the bench in foul trouble, Golden State took advantage of Minnesota’s cold shooting during a 3-minute stretch late in the third. Richardson scored nine points, including back-to-back 3s, during a 14-0 run that gave the Warriors a 71-67 lead.

Golden State led 83-80 on Richardson’s layup with 7 minutes to play, but Minnesota sealed the win with a 15-2 spurt. Garnett had eight points during the run and capped it with a tip-in to make it 95-85 with 2:25 to go.

Notes: Wolves coach Dwayne Casey said before the game that backup G Anthony Carter, who didn’t play, would remain in the rotation despite his arrest last Friday on suspicion of drunken driving. Casey said the team would wait to impose any disciplinary action until the legal process is complete. Carter is scheduled to appear in court March 10. Casey wasn’t sure of Carter availability for Minnesota’s upcoming six-game road trip that begins Wednesday. … Davis and Fisher started together for the third time this season. … Richardson started his second game at power forward.

AP-ES-03-05-06 1805EST