Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets

· National Basketball Association

Minnesota Timberwolves

25-9, 11-7 Away

Final
122 - 95

Houston Rockets

17-16, 14-6 Home

Anthony Edwards scores 24 points, West-leading Timberwolves beat Rockets 122-95

Timberwolves pick up 25th win of the season

Edwards had a relatively quiet game considering he entered the night averaging 36.3 points in his previous four games. He had scored at least 25 points in 10 straight games but went 8 for 17 from the field in 32 minutes Friday. Towns added eight rebounds and six assists.

“Just having that tenacity and physicality, making it difficult on opponents and making every possession a difficult shot,” Towns said. “Just doing more of that and getting back to that, we knew was important.”

Jalen Green led Houston with 20 points, Alperen Sengun had 19 points and Jabari Smith Jr. added 16. The Rockets are 2-4 on a seven-game homestand.

“I don’t really know if it was our lack of scoring or quality shots,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “I think they bullied us. It may not have anything to do with our offense, but I thought it was our poorest game from the standpoint of matching physicality and competitiveness and toughness tonight.”

Houston has lost eight of the last nine meetings with Minnesota. The outsized Rockets were outscored 60-46 in the paint and outrebounded 51-39.

“Everybody played great tonight, everybody was happy,” Edwards said. “It was a great overall team win so it was dope.”

Minnesota improved to 25-9. The Timberwolves led by 33 and entered the fourth quarter up 84-72.

“I saw our defense in a lot of different ways,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “They were into it. They were being bothersome, and everybody was out there making grimy defensive plays. That’s the way we’ve got to be. It all started with our attention to detail and defense.”

Rockets forward Dillon Brooks remained sidelined for a fifth straight game because of a strained right abdominal oblique.

Houston briefly led in the first quarter but trailed much of the game. Minnesota held a 56-46 lead at halftime.

Timberwolves: At Dallas on Sunday night.

Rockets: Host Milwaukee on Saturday night.

Regular Season Series

MIN leads series 1-0

Recent Plays

4th 0.0	End of Game	122 - 95
4th 0.0	End of the 4th Quarter	122 - 95
4th 13.1	Wendell Moore Jr. defensive rebound	122 - 95
4th 13.1	Boban Marjanovic misses 18-foot two point shot	122 - 95
4th 21.1	Luka Garza lost ball turnover (Amen Thompson steals)	122 - 95

Statistics

MIN		HOU
46-88	FG	36-90
52	Field Goal %	40
14-33	3PT	12-32
42	Three Point %	38
16-20	FT	11-15
80	Free Throw %	73
52	Rebounds	38
9	Offensive Rebounds	7
43	Defensive Rebounds	31
31	Assists	18
12	Steals	7
7	Blocks	2
14	Turnovers	15
0	Team Turnovers	0
14	Total Turnovers	15
0	Technical Fouls	0
0	Total Technical Fouls	0
0	Flagrant Fouls	0
12	Points Conceded Off Turnovers	18
20	Fast Break Points	8
60	Points in Paint	46
18	Fouls	15
33	Largest Lead	5