MINNEAPOLIS—The NBA season is not yet a month old and it has already been a long one for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Luis Scola had 20 points and a season-high 16 rebounds in Houston’s 97-84 victory over Timberwolves on Wednesday night, Minnesota’s 11th loss in a row.
Trevor Ariza scored 18 points, Chuck Hayes had 11 points and 10 rebounds and the Rockets hit 12 3-pointers for the win.
Al Jefferson returned to the lineup for Minnesota after missing the past two games to be with his grandmother, who died last week. Playing with a heavy heart, Jefferson made his first eight shots and finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
But he was inadvertantly kicked in the head by Houston’s Carl Landry while fighting for a rebound in the fourth quarter. Jefferson remained in the game, but was quiet for the final eight minutes as the Wolves faded.
Houston was playing the second game of a back-to-back and the Timberwolves had three days off in a row. But the Rockets were the team that played with more energy throughout. Houston out-rebounded Minnesota 46-36 and scored 29 points fourth quarter to pull away.
The Rockets, playing without All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, have been pushing the tempo at Suns-like speed to try and compensate. They entered the night sixth in the NBA in scoring at 103.5 points per game and had topped 100 in 10 straight, their longest streak since 1995-96.
But they looked a little sluggish early on after losing to those Suns on Tuesday night. They had no trouble getting out on the break in their usual style, it was the finishing that was proving difficult.
They committed 14 turnovers in the first half to allow the Timberwolves to hang around.
Minnesota took a 34-29 lead about midway through the second quarter when Damien Wilkins threw down a rebound-dunk. But the veteran swingman was given a technical foul for hanging on the rim, which stunted the momentum and woke up the Rockets.
Houston responded with a 15-2 run, getting eight points from Scola in the spurt and took a 48-42 lead into halftime.
Ramon Sessions had 16 points and five assists for Minnesota, which led 67-66 late in the third quarter. But as usual, the Timberwolves defense failed down the stretch. The Rockets had little problem getting to the basket or finding open jump shots in the fourth, quickly rebuilding a 12-point lead.
NOTES: Rockets PG Aaron Brooks committed eight of the team’s 22 turnovers. ... Timberwolves G Corey Brewer has at least two steals in four straight games. ... Rockets F Shane Battier has hit a 3-pointer in 24 straight games. ... University of Minnesota coach Tubby Smith was in attendance to watch former Kentucky standout Chuck Hayes play for the Rockets.
