Rockets 120, Timberwolves 110
James Harden had 33 points, eight assists and five steals as Houston clinched a playoff spot with a win against visiting Minnesota.
Dwight Howard scored 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting for the Rockets, who have won six of seven after shooting 20-of-44 from the arc. Josh Smith collected 16 points and three 3-pointers, Trevor Ariza had four 3-pointers en route to 14 points and Harden chipped in six hoops from beyond the arc as Houston moved within one-half game of Memphis for the second spot in the West.
Andrew Wiggins scored 31 points for Minnesota, which has lost 13 of 16. Chase Budinger had a season-high 23 points and Gorgui Deng added 18 for the Timberwolves.
Harden and Jason Terry drained two 3-pointers apiece and Smith added a fifth as the Rockets jumped to a 31-22 edge after one. Smith opened the second quarter with another shot from the arc and a layup before Howard slammed home an alley-oop feed from Smith for a 16-point lead, and after Minnesota got within eight, Ariza and Terry drained 3-pointers during a 9-2 spurt to restore order.
Harden drained three of the Rockets' five 3-pointers in the third to counter eight points by Adreian Payne and two 3-pointers by Zach LaVine to take a 90-80 edge into the fourth. Howard slammed home two hoops and Pablo Prigioni added another shot from the arc as Houston pushed to a 15-point edge, and Minnesota never got closer than eight thereafter as Ariza and Terry hit two 3-pointers apiece down the stretch.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Wiggins scored 11 points in the second quarter over the final 4:46 to cut a 15-point deficit by five points. … Terry was 5-of-6 from the arc and finished with 17 points. … The Timberwolves were 6-of-14 from the arc and 30-of-34 from the line.