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 Behind timely defensive moxie, the Rockets preserved their winning
streak and set the stage for an intriguing showdown on Friday with a
107-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center.
Houston guard James Harden and center Dwight Howard recorded
double-doubles while reserve forward Terrence Jones delivered a
second consecutive strong effort as the Rockets (21-19) claimed
their fifth consecutive win with Eastern Conference-leading
Cleveland on tap.
Harden reached 10,000 career points via a free throw with 7:11
remaining and paired 27 points with 11 assists. Howard added 15
points and 10 rebounds, recording 13 points and eight boards in the
second half. Jones had 16 points and grabbed nine boards in 34
minutes.
It was on defensive where the Rockets made their mark late, limiting
Minnesota (12-28) to one field goal over the final four minutes.
After shooting 50 for 122 (40.9 percent) on 3s during the streak,
the Rockets hit just 7 of 30 treys against the Timberwolves. Their
defense was vital.
"We missed a couple 3s that we usually make. We could have easily
let down," Harden said. "(Rockets forward) Trevor (Ariza) did a
great job on (Timberwolves guard Andrew) Wiggins, just battling him.
We just picked up our intensity a little and that was the
difference."
Wiggins scored 18 of his game-high 28 points in the second half,
while veteran guard Kevin Martin added 22 points off the bench, 10
in the fourth quarter. Wiggins and Martin were the only Timberwolves
(12-28) to score baskets inside the final five minutes of action,
with rookie forward Karl-Anthony Towns (12 points, 16 rebounds)
converting a floater at the 5:00 mark for Minnesota, which has lost
eight straight.
Wiggins was irrepressible in the third quarter, pouring in 11 points
on five shot attempts to drag the Timberwolves back from a
double-digit deficit. He got a boost from veteran forward Tayshaun
Prince, who drilled three jumpers in a two-minute span after a
scoreless first half.
Wiggins opened the third quarter with two free throws before scoring
on a rim attack through a foul. He drilled a 3, added two more free
throws and nailed a jumper off a screen that pulled Minnesota to
within 76-71 at the 4:05 mark. Minnesota bridged the final two
periods with a 9-1 run to reclaim the lead at 83-82, its first since
the end of the first quarter.
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"We shot the ball well," Wiggins said. "It wasn't really our offense
when it came down to it. They killed us in transition and we turned
over the ball a lot (21 turnovers)."
Houston seized control with transition baskets. Behind reserve
forward Corey Brewer, the Rockets recorded 14 of their 20 fast-break
points in the second quarter and pushed to an 11-point lead when
Harden converted a transition layup with 6:08 left in the half.
"Every time we turned the ball over they got a layup or dunk,"
Minnesota coach Sam Mitchell said. "Where those turnovers come from,
I don't know. There were things that we just don't normally do,
trying to make passes that just weren't there."
Martin helped Minnesota shoot its way back from that deficit,
scoring 10 points in the second quarter to help cut the margin to
one point. But the Rockets kept uncovering contributors, mainly off
the bench, with Jones leading a four-man unit that combined to score
35 points.
"We've got depth on this team," Rockets interim coach J.B.
Bickerstaff said.
NOTES: Rockets G Patrick Beverley was not with the team because of a
family health matter. He had made 24 consecutive starts, with
Houston going 15-9 during that stretch. Veteran G Jason Terry
started in place of Beverley as the Rockets utilized their 13th
different starting lineup this season. ... Timberwolves F Kevin
Garnett sat out the second night of a back-to-back games after
logging nine scoreless minutes against the Thunder on Tuesday night.
Minnesota C Nikola Pekovic, out against Oklahoma City, played his
fourth game on a minutes restriction as he continues his comeback
from a right Achilles injury. ... Rockets G Ty Lawson returned from
a three-game suspension resulting from his arrest in California last
year for driving under the influence of alcohol.
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reserved.]
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