Timberwolves Wrap: An ugly loss to the Rockets

The Timberwolves’ plan to win four-straight games for the first time in the season was blown apart early in a tough home loss to the Rockets.

The Wolves were terrible on both ends of the floor for basically the whole evening, but the tone was set by the Rockets’ 38-21 first quarter advantage. Houston got what they wanted when they wanted it, and Minnesota’s offense looked like it was stuck in the mud.

It didn’t get much better for the Wolves, as they only had nine field goals made at the five minute mark in the second quarter. A late run in the half kept things to a 19-point deficit at halftime, but it never felt like there was much in the way of traction.

James Harden had a big first half and ultimately scored 34 points in just 31 minutes on the night, shooting 12 of 21 from the field and 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. The Wolves allowed Zach LaVine to guard him, and that turned out fairly predictably.

The Rockets did their thing from beyond the arc as well, while the Timberwolves clanked their way to 5-for-21 mark from three-point range — that’ right, 23.8 percent.

More from Dunking with Wolves

• The dream starting 5 for Minnesota Timberwolves 5 years from now
• Anthony Edwards’ latest accolade is a great sign of things to come
• In an OT thriller, Team Canada snatches Bronze from Team USA
• Timberwolves start, bench, cut: Mike Conley, Shake Milton, Jordan McLaughlin
• Which Timberwolves roster additions have upgraded the bench?

The Rockets put the game away for good early in the second half, eventually outscoring the Wolves by a 35-27 margin in the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, both teams had eased their starters out of the game and garbage time was in full swing.

The Wolves simply did not have it on this night. They trailed the entire way and were stuck at a 30+-point deficit for long stretches of the second half.

It was certainly a hangover from the three-game road losing streak, but it was a disappointing showing after such a promising stretch of play. Also, don’t forget that this was a must-win game for the Rockets as they battle for a playoff spot with only one game left on the schedule.

The Wolves have a shot end the season on a good note with Wednesday’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Tweet of the Night

Star of the Night

James Harden -“ 34 points (12-21 FG, 5-7 3P, 5-7 FT), 6 assists, one rebound, 3 turnovers

Harden did what he had to do early on, scoring a ton of points in short order. He helped seal the result early in the third quarter before resting the end of the evening, but his aggressiveness out of the gate was his largest contribution towards the Rockets’ easy win.

Notable Timberwolves Lines

Andrew Wiggins – 12 points (3-7 FG, 6-6 FT), 3 assists, one rebound, one steal, 4 turnovers

Karl-Anthony Towns – 12 points (6-15 FG, 0-3 3P), 5 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block, one turnover

Nemana Bjelica – 11 points (3-7 FG, 1-3 3P, 4-4 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist, 2 turnovers

Shabazz Muhammad – 23 points (9-13 FG, 1-3 3P, 4-7 FT), 2 assists, one rebound, one steal, one turnover

Zach LaVine – 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-7 3P, 2-2 FT), 3 assists, 2 rebounds, one steal, one block, one turnover

Who’s Next?

There’s just one game left, with the New Orleans Pelicans visiting Minnesota on Wednesday evening to wrap up their respective seasons.

Next: On Bill Simmons' Wolves-Thunder Comparison

The Timberwolves really need to have a strong showing on Wednesday if they’re going to feel good about the end of the season. It would get the Wolves to four wins out of their last five games, and give the fans something to feel good about as we head into another long summer without Timberwolves basketball.