Minnesota Timberwolves

BASKETBALL (NBA) * Minnesota Timberwolves -- Fired Bill Musselman (coach).HOCKEY (NHL) * New York Rangers -- Fired John C. Diller (president).

MINNEAPOLIS - - Gilbert Arenas had 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but the Washington Wizards fell short as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat up on some old friends, 101-89, for their first back-to-back wins of the season. Corey Brewer scored 23 of his career-high 27 points in the second half to lead the Timberwolves. Kevin Love added 17 points and 10 rebounds against a Wizards team that has seven coaches and players who have significant ties to the Timberwolves organization.

BasketballMinnesota Timberwolves: Activated F Christian Laettner. Placed C Eric Riley on the injured list.HockeyBinghamton Rangers (AHL): Loaned C Dennis Maxwell to Charlotte.

Ravens Tickets for regular-season home games sell out quickly The team's supply of single-game tickets for eight regular-season home games sold out Friday morning in about one hour. Still available are fewer than 1,000 tickets for each of the team's two preseason games at M&T Bank Stadium: Aug. 13 against the Washington Redskins and Aug. 24 against the New York Jets. Tickets can be purchased by calling 410-261-7283 or visiting BaltimoreRavens.com or ticketmaster.com. The M&T Bank Stadium ticket office windows open Monday at 9 a.m., and will remain open through 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until the end of the season.

BASKETBALLNational Basketball Association* MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES -- Signed Doug West, guard, to a four-year contract extension through the 1995-96 season.World Basketball League* YOUNGSTOWN PRIDE -- Named Bob Krizancic assistant coach.FOOTBALLWorld League* OHIO GLORY -- Released Marlon Brown, linebacker.COLLEGE* ALABAMA -- Named Danny Pearman Jr. offensive line coach.* SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE -- Named Craig Stump running backs coach.

BaseballBoston Red Sox -- Gave manager Joe Morgan (243-205 in 2 1/2 seasons) 1-year contract extension through 1992 season.Toronto Blue Jays -- Placed P Dave Stieb (4-3, 3.17) on 15-day DL, retroactive to May 23, with tendinitis in back of right shoulder. Recalled P Bob MacDonald from Class AAA Syracuse.BasketballDenver Nuggets -- Named former Minnesota Timberwolves executive Tim Leiweke senior VP.Minnesota Timberwolves -- Named Chris Wright VP of marketing and Len Komoroski VP of sales.FootballCleveland Browns -- Signed QB Michael Proctor.

VS. ORLANDO MAGIC:* WHEN: Tonight, 7:30.* WHERE: Orlando Arena.* RADIO/TV: WTOP-AM 1500; Ch. 20.VS. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES:* WHEN: Sunday, 1 p.m.* WHERE: Capital Centre.* RADIO: WTOP-AM 1500.* OUTLOOK: A season that began without much hope and picked up steam in the middle comes to a crashing halt for the Bullets (30-50) as they close this third straight playoff-less season against two rising expansion teams.

BASEBALL (AL) * New York Yankees -- Announced the resignation of Robert Nederlander (managing general partner) effective Dec 31.* Texas Rangers -- Extended the contract of Bobby Valentine (manager), Tom Grieve (general manager) and Sandy Johnson (assistant general manager) through the 1993 season. Signed Tom Drees (pitcher) to a contract with Oklahoma of the American Association.BASKETBALL (NBA) * Charlotte Hornets -- Signed Kevin Lynch (guard-forward).* Los Angeles Lakers -- Signed Chucky Brown (forward)

Baseball Texas Rangers -- Signed P Floyd Bannister to a one-year contract. Placed P Scott Chiamparino on the 60-day DL. Purchased the contracts of P Steve Fireovid, P Wayne Rosenthal, OF John Cangelosi and former Orioles P Jeff Robinson from Triple-A Oklahoma City.BasketballMinnesota Timberwolves -- Signed G Doug West to a four-year contract extension through the 1995-96 season.Youngstown Pride (WBL) -- Named Bob Krizancic assistant coach.CollegesAlabama -- Named Danny Pearman Jr. offensive line coach.

MINNEAPOLIS - - Gilbert Arenas had 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but the Washington Wizards fell short as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat up on some old friends, 101-89, for their first back-to-back wins of the season. Corey Brewer scored 23 of his career-high 27 points in the second half to lead the Timberwolves. Kevin Love added 17 points and 10 rebounds against a Wizards team that has seven coaches and players who have significant ties to the Timberwolves organization.

Donte Greene finally fulfilled his dream of making the NBA, even if it took a little longer than expected. The 6-foot-10 small forward and Baltimore native was selected 28th by the Memphis Grizzlies last night in the first round of the NBA draft. Greene, who played his high school ball at Towson Catholic, was projected to go between the 13th and 20th pick. "It was definitely tough, seeing teams that told you, `If you're there we're going to pick you,' " Greene said. "It feels good to finally be drafted and to finally have that weight off your shoulders and get back to work."

MINNEAPOLIS - There are, in the course of any NBA season, a handful of games that will be won or lost, regardless of what happens on the court. And then there are the games like the 90-86 decision that the Washington Wizards dropped to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night, the ones that should be safely tucked away in the win column, but instead become losses that eat away at you. Armed with a 14-point third-quarter lead, the Wizards (1-3) proceeded to go nearly seven minutes into the fourth period without a basket, hitting just two of 22 field-goal attempts for the quarter, as the Timberwolves stole a game.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Red McCombs' sojourn in Minnesota may be coming to an end. The Minnesota Vikings owner is considering purchase offers from two local ownership groups, two informed sources said late Friday, and a sale could be completed as early as this month. The bidding parties are believed to be Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and some Minnesota Wild investors led by team chairman Robert Naegele Jr. Should the two parties join their bid, as speculated by one person close to the negotiations, the sale of the Vikings to the combined group would tie together three of Minnesota's four major-league teams - the Vikings, the Timberwolves and the Wild - yielding marketing and ticket sales savings.

MINNEAPOLIS -- There's the predictable excitement out West, what with the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs all bunched atop the conference. But look more closely, and another team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, is tucked right in there, battling with all the usual suspects for Western supremacy. "Being respectful, I would say, `Thank you, but that's our goal,' " said forward Kevin Garnett. "We don't want to be one of the best, but the best. From a mental standpoint and from a physical standpoint, we go out every day in practice and try to reach that goal.

WASHINGTON - Watch out, basketball world. Michael Jordan is starting to feel a rhythm. With two straight 40-point-plus performances, Jordan is in mid-career form and is carrying the Washington Wizards with him, as evidenced by last night's 112-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns at MCI Center. Jordan torched the Suns for 41 points - two nights after busting the Cleveland Cavaliers for 40 - and declared that he is in sync and in his best form since coming back after three years of retirement.

Now that most of the teams in the league have reached the schedule's midway point, here's a look at some award winners for the first half of the season.Most Valuable Player: Karl Malone, Utah Jazz. An extremely tough pick here. You look at Shaquille O'Neal's scoring and rebounding numbers and wonder why the Los Angeles Lakers struggled early in the season. You see an improved Allen Iverson, who has his team thinking playoffs, but wonder about his recent unexcused mixed practice (more on that later)

LANDOVER -- Maybe the Washington Bullets have simply benefited from a break in the schedule that served up the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves in succession. Or, just maybe, the Bullets are becoming a good team.Whatever the reason, the Bullets won their third straight game last night and got above the .500 mark as they defeated the Timberwolves, 105-98, before 12,224 at USAir Arena.The Bullets started strongly, leading by as many as 23 points in the first half, and had just enough to hold off a rally that got the Timberwolves as close as five points in the final two minutes.

BasketballMinnesota Timberwolves: Activated F Christian Laettner. Placed C Eric Riley on the injured list.HockeyBinghamton Rangers (AHL): Loaned C Dennis Maxwell to Charlotte.