MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves' season is over. The Memphis Grizzlies' is just beginning.
Brian Cardinal scored nine of his 18 points in the second overtime and Lawrence Roberts added 10 points and 12 boards to lead the Grizzlies to a 102-92 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
With nothing to play for, the game was decidedly starless.
Memphis played without leading scorer and rebounder Pau Gasol (sore foot) and Eddie Jones, while Minnesota sat Kevin Garnett and Ricky Davis.
The Grizzlies wrapped up the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night and will face fourth-seeded Dallas in the first round. Some argued that the Grizzlies would have been better off losing that game.
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A loss would have given Memphis the No. 6 seed, and home-court advantage in the first round against third-seeded Denver, awarded the higher seed because they won the Northwest Division.
The Timberwolves were in a slightly similar position on Wednesday night. The loss increased their chances of holding on to their first-round draft choice. They traded the pick and point guard Sam Cassell to the Clippers in the offseason for Marko Jaric. But the selection is lottery protected, so if the Timberwolves get No. 10 or better in the lottery, they keep it. If it's lower than 10, the Clippers get it.
The Timberwolves led by seven with 3:28 to play on Bracey Wright's jumper, but in a microcosm of the season, they let the lead slip away.
Cardinal, who also had 11 rebounds, hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 80 with 18.5 seconds left, sending the game into overtime.
He added three more 3s in the second overtime for the Grizzlies, who have won eight of nine.
Before the game, Memphis coach Mike Fratello said Gasol's injury was "a major concern" and that the team would have to wait and see about his availability for the series against the Mavericks.
Eddie Griffin had 17 points and 15 rebounds and rookie Bracey Wright scored a career-high 19 for the Timberwolves.
Neither team looked particularly excited to be in the arena, as evident by a 16-14 third quarter won by Memphis, which is headed to its third straight postseason.
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Wolves post player Mark Madsen also chucked up seven ugly 3-pointers, including five in the overtimes, his first attempts of the season.
The fans showed just as much enthusiasm, with a crowd announced very generously at 15,934 sitting on their hands, and two wearing bags on their heads, for most of the final game of an entirely disappointing season.
The Timberwolves finished the season at 33-49 and missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
NOTES: Fred Hoiberg received a standing ovation between the first and second quarters. Hoiberg retired on Monday to join the Timberwolves' front office, deciding not to risk coming back from open heart surgery he had before the season started. ... Timberwolves PG Marko Jaric missed the game with a left shoulder contusion. ... Memphis G Bobby Jackson received a technical foul at 3:09 of the third.
