Timberwolves 120, Rockets 108
Michael Beasley scored a season-high 34 points and Kevin Love added 29 as the Minnesota Timberwolves notched a 120-108 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Ricky Rubio had 18 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as Minnesota avenged a 15-point home loss to Houston on Jan. 23.
Kevin Martin returned from a two-game absence because of a foot injury to score 29 points for Houston as the Rockets lost for only the second time in 11 games.
The Timberwolves set a season-high for points and field-goal percentage (58.1), and used a 42-point third quarter en route to defeating the Rockets for only the second time in the last 17 meetings.
The Rockets led 56-54 before Minnesota’s third-quarter explosion. Love’s hook shot with 6:52 to play put the Timberwolves ahead to stay and started a quarter-ending 28-13 run as Minnesota took a 96-81 lead into the final quarter.
Beasley hit 10 of 14 field-goal attempts and sank all 12 of his free throws in his third game back from a foot injury.
Chase Budinger scored 13 points and Kyle Lowry added 11 for Houston.
Minnesota is 5-4 on the road this season after going 5-36 on the road in each of the previous two seasons.