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Kevin Martin returned to the lineup with 29 points but it was Rick Adelman's new club that prevailed 120-108.
The Houston Rockets carry a 56-54 advantage into halftime of Monday's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kevin Martin made his return from a heel injury that had sidelined him for the Rockets previous two games. Martin scored 10 points in 14 first half minutes to lead the Rockets at the break. Luis Scola and Jordan Hill each have eight points while Patrick Patterson and Kyle Lowry each have six. The Rockets were red hot in the first half hitting on 55 percent of their shots in the half.
Michael Beasley led the Timberwolves with 15 points off the bench hitting 6-8 attempts. Kevin Love added 10 points and four rebounds while Ricky Rubio finished with four points, four rebounds and four assists in the first half. Minnesota hit on 57 percent of its shots in the first half.
For more on this game Rockets fans should check out The Dream Shake and Timberwolves fans should visit Canis Hoopus. For more NBA news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.
After sitting out two straight games with a heel injury, Kevin Martin will make his return to the Rockets' lineup Monday night when the team takes on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
McHale says K-Mart should be good to go tonight. Says he might limit his workload, though.
— Jason Friedman (@RocketsJCF) January 30, 2012
Martin enters tonight's game averaging 20.1 points per game for the Rockets who won both games without him. After a slow start, Houston has been red hot of late winning nine of their last 10 games and are currently 12-8 and a half game behind the Dallas Mavericks for the Southwest Division lead.
Rockets coach Kevin McHale indicated that he might limit Martin's minutes somewhat tonight which could mean a slight bump for Chase Buddinger who helped fill in during Martin's absence.
For more on Kevin Martin's injury and the Houston Rockets check out The Dream Shake. For more NBA news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NBA basketball page.
The Houston Rockets have won two straight versus the Knicks and the Wizards, and over the last ten games the Rockets are tied for the best record in the NBA with a 9-1 record. This will be their final home game before embarking on a seven-game road trip with a trip down the road versus San Antonio.
For their hard work, SB Nation's Tom Ziller has ranked the Rockets at No. 10 this week in his power rankings, which is a testament to the hard work of Kevin McHale, Kyle Lowry and the rest of the young talent hoopin' it up in H-Town:
| 10. | Houston Rockets | 12-8 | W: MIN, WAS, NY; L: MIL | The Dream Shake |
| Kyle Lowry hasn't been perfect late, but Houston continues to win. They are literally in the middle of the playoff hunt, a testament to Daryl Morey's ability to build a feasible roster without locking up long-term salary commitments. | ||||
Surprisingly, the Rockets are 3rd in the NBA in rebounding (44.8) per game and they'll need all hands on deck as the league's leader in rebounding, Kevin Love, and the Timberwolves prepare for battle at 8:00 pm ET.
The Dream Shake has you covered for the most up-to-the-minute analysis on the Rockets anywhere on the interwebs while the wonderfully named Canis Hoopus has all the pre-game coverage from the Twin Cities.
In a showdown between another young team battling to sneak into the top 8 of the Western Conference, the 12-8 Houston Rockets host the 9-11 Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
And while Houston is up four games in the standings, they've had a much easier schedule than Minnesota so far, and their point differential (+2.4) isn't significantly better than the Timberwolves (+1.3).
More: Preview coverage of tonight's Rockets vs. Timberwolves game
The match-up everyone will be watching will be at the point guard position, where Ricky Rubio, who has pushed himself into the rookie of the year discussion, will match-up with Kyle Lowry, whose battling to make his first All-Star team in his fourth season in the NBA.
On the interior, the Rockets will need to mix and match their big men against Minnesota All-Star PF Kevin Love, who is averaging 25 points and 14 rebounds a game this season.
The Timberwolves are coming off a tough 106-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night, but as a young team, they'll be less affected by the late night cross-country flight to South Texas.
Houston, meanwhile, is looking to wrap up a four-game home-stand with 3-1 record before embarking on a stretch of seven road games in the next two weeks.
The 7:00 PM game will be broadcast regionally on Fox Sports Houston.
The Dream Shake has you covered for the most up-to-the-minute analysis on the Rockets anywhere on the interwebs while the wonderfully named Canis Hoopus has all the pre-game coverage from the Twin Cities.
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Rockets Vs. Timberwolves Final Score: Houston Falls 120-108 To Minnesota
The Houston Rockets couldn't overcome a huge third quarter by the Minnesota Timberwolves and went on to lose 120-108. Minnesota outscored Houston 42-25 in the third quarter behind an exceptional night off the bench from Michael Beasley who finished with 34 points.
Kevin Martin also had a solid return to the Rockets lineup after sitting out the last two games with a heel injury. Martin finished with 29 points on 9-15 shooting in the game. Chase Budinger added 13 points off the bench and Kyle Lowry finished in double figures with 11 points.
Beasley hit 10-14 shots and all 12 of his free throw attempts to score his 34 points. Kevin Love added 29 points and Ricky Rubio added 18 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. The Timberwolves hit 28-31 free throw attempts in the game.
For more on this game Rockets fans should check out The Dream Shake and Timberwolves fans should visit Canis Hoopus. For more NBA news and analysis head on over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.
Jan 30 9:29p by Kris Willis