Garrett Graham is staying in Houston. According to a report from ESPN, the Texans have reached an agreement with Graham on a three-year deal worth $11.25
million. Graham, who took over for starter Owen Daniels after a broken leg last
year, finished with 49 catches for 545 yards and five touchdowns. The Texans
released Daniels, 32, earlier in the off-season choosing to go with the younger
Graham. The 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2010. MINNEAPOLIS --
Kevin Love landed hard on his hip after a foul late in the game. His head
snapped back from the impact and hit the floor. The All-Star power forward was
all right afterward, a relief for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The win over the
languishing Los Angeles Lakers was nice, too. Love had 31 points and 17 rebounds
to lead the Timberwolves to 109-99 victory on Tuesday that spoiled Steve Nashs
return and stuck the Lakers with their seventh straight defeat. "I just want to
continue to keep playing and give this team all that I can," Love said. "Yeah,
Ive taken a physical beating, but youve got to expect being one of the top guys
that theyre going to come at you." Kevin Martin helped the Timberwolves get off
to a fast start, scoring 14 of his season-high-tying 32 points in the opening 10
minutes as the NBAs highest-scoring first-quarter team surged to a 25-point lead
midway through the second period. They stumbled some after halftime, letting the
Lakers pull within seven points early in the fourth quarter. "Its just one of
those things where the game isnt going to be as easy as you think," coach Rick
Adelman said. "You just have to persevere." With Nikola Pekovic likely out
through the All-Star break, the Wolves started a difficult week, a theme of
Adelmans pregame message. They play at Oklahoma City on Wednesday and New
Orleans on Friday before hosting Portland on Saturday, a crucial stretch for a
team running out of time to climb back into the playoff picture. But Love picked
up the Wolves and carried them to an important win, playing the part of the
burly Pekovic by throwing his body at the basket as often as he could. He made
it to the line for 18 free throws, making 13. "We realize how good he is. He has
incredible toughness," Martin said, adding: "He gets dirty down there. Thats why
we pay him the big bucks and thats why hes an All-Star starter, to do things
like that." Nash had been sidelined since Nov. 10 because of nerve problems in
his back. The soon-to-be-40-year-old two-time league MVP had seven points and
nine assists in 25 minutes, about 10 more than he was supposed to play. "I feel
a bit selfish in that we lost but it felt great just to play in the NBA again,"
Nash said, smiling.dddddddddddd "Obviously the game didnt go as we hoped, but
for me personally thats pretty cool to be back out there." Coach Mike DAntoni
was pleased. "I thought he competed, and weve got to have everybody compete that
way," DAntoni said. Steve Blake also returned, coming back from a torn ligament
in his right elbow that had shelved him since Dec. 10. He ruptured his eardrum
during the game but kept playing on another night of bad luck and bad defence
for the fallen franchise. Blake was scoreless in 31 minutes and took only two
shots. Fittingly, as soon as two guys came back, two more went out. Jodie Meeks
(sprained right ankle, first quarter) and backup Jordan Hill (headache and neck
strain, first quarter) were hurt for the Lakers, who have been without star
Kobe Bryant for most of the season. Pau Gasol also sat out with a strained right
groin and could be out until after the All-Star break. DAntoni said Meeks wont
play the rest of the road trip at Cleveland on Wednesday or at Philadelphia on
Friday. Hill was walking stiffly in the locker room after the game but was held
out as a precaution, the coach said. "I just feel for those guys. I just was in
their position," Blake said. "Unfortunately its a part of the game, and the rest
of us have to pick it up." The Lakers reserves had a whopping 70 points, with
Nick Young (24 points), Manny Harris (17 points) and former Timberwolves
first-round draft pick Wes Johnson (15 points and nine rebounds) leading the
way. But the Lakers still lost for the 19th time in their last 22 games and fell
into a tie for last place in the Western Conference with Utah and Sacramento.
This was also their first loss at Target Center in almost seven years, ending an
11-game run. NOTES: This was the league-high seventh time this season that Love
had at least 30 points and 15 rebounds. He has 25 for his career, one more than
Kevin Garnett on the franchises career list. ... The Lakers have allowed
100-plus points in 15 straight games, their longest such streak since 17 in a
row during the 1986-87 season.
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