Finley scores 21, pulls Spurs past Timberwolves

Michael Finley scored 21 points, including the last six for San Antonio, to help the visiting Spurs hold off the Minnesota Timberwolves 90-88 on Thursday night.

Kevin Garnett got the best of Tim Duncan with 24 points and a season-high 21 rebounds, but the Timberwolves dropped their third straight game when Troy Hudson’s off-balance, running jumper in traffic at the buzzer fell short.

Duncan had 13 points and nine rebounds, missing four of his seven free throws. He was 5 for 20 from the foul line in his previous two games.

Cavaliers 94, Nuggets 85: At Cleveland, the banged-up LeBron James scored 26 points and got enough help from his teammates to lead Cleveland past Denver.

James bruised his left shin and hobbled to the locker room late in the first half. He returned with the shin wrapped for support.

Damon Jones scored 17 points and Donyell Marshall 11, both hitting big 3-pointers as the Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak.

Carmelo Anthony scored 23 to lead Denver but shot just 8 of 23.

League fines Artest, Lakers

Ron Artest’s trade request will cost him $10,000, and the NBA fined the Los Angeles Lakers $25,000 for coach Phil Jackson’s comments about Toronto forward Chris Bosh.

Artest was penalized for “making public statements detrimental to the NBA.”

The NBA said Jackson violated the league’s anti-tampering rule with his comments about the Lakers’ interest in Bosh on Dec. 8.