Rockets at Timberwolves
The Houston Rockets halted a season-worst, four-game slide and now look to open a four-game road trip on a good note when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Rockets regained their swagger with a 121-105 home win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday to salvage a victory in the finale of a four-game homestand.
Star guard James Harden (6-of-13) shot below 50 percent for the eighth straight game but he was more efficient with 27 points against the Nuggets. "The potential is always there," Harden told reporters of the Rockets. "It's just a matter of us doing it. We played well. It's a confidence builder, and we'll just try to do all the right things." Minnesota continues to struggle and Wednesday's 117-110 road loss to the Chicago Bulls was its seventh straight and 21st in the past 26 games. The Timberwolves dropped four straight home games since defeating the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 9.
TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest, FS North
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (27-16): Houston's top three guards combined for 80 points against Denver as Russell Westbrook recorded 28 points, matched his season high of 16 rebounds and contributed eight assists and backup Eric Gordon made 6-of-8 from 3-point range while scoring 25 points to team with Harden's output. "If we can get everybody together like that - you know, James has a good game, Eric has a good game and Russell has a good game," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters. "If we get those three to have a good game, we're going to be tough; we're good. We've just struggled with that." Westbrook has been superb by scoring 20 or more points in 18 consecutive appearances and has seven double-digit rebounding efforts during the span.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (15-29): Star center Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a season-high 40 points against Chicago for his best showing in four games after missing the previous 15 with a knee injury. Towns made 16-of-24 field-goal attempts - including 4-of-8 from 3-point range - after being 22-of-51 from the floor in his first three games back with the club. "Like I said before, I just felt I had to get implemented back into the offense," Towns told reporters. "There was so many things that changed and everything when I was out, I was just trying to find myself in the offense. I think it was taken the wrong way when I said it. I was more saying the plays weren't meant for me anymore, it was different, but the coaching staff did a great job and we talked it out."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets are 2-0 against the Timberwolves this season and won 21 of the past 25 meetings.
2. Minnesota G Shabazz Napier scored 16 points against Chicago after being in single digits in six of the past eight contests.
3. Houston backup G Austin Rivers scored 11 points in 21 minutes versus Denver after missing the previous two games.