Who is playing
Houston Rockets @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Current records: Houston 12-6, Minnesota 8-8
How to watch
- When: Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 8 pm ET
- Where: Target Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- TV: FanDuel SN – North
- Continue: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try it for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $20.00
What to know
The Rockets have enjoyed a three-game homestand, but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday at Target Center. After losing a game the Rockets were expected to win, they now face the tougher task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
The Rockets head into this one after bookmakers set last week’s low over/under at 225.5, but even that ended up being too high. They took a 104-98 hit in the loss column at the hands of the Trail Blazers. The matchup marked Houston’s lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Even though they lost, the Rockets broke the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds (ranked first in offensive rebounds per game overall). That good performance was nothing new for the team: they have already gotten at least 13 offensive rebounds in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves suffered their closest loss since Feb. 2 on Sunday. They fell just short of the Celtics by a score of 107-105. The close game was very heartbreaking for Minnesota, which nearly overcame a 19-point deficit.
The defeat does not tell the whole story, since several players played good games. One of the most active was Anthony Edwards, who made 6 of 11 shots from downtown and almost had a double-double with 28 points and nine rebounds. What’s more, he also racked up seven assists, the most he’s given since April.
Houston’s loss ended a seven-game winning streak at home and dropped them to 12-6. As for Minnesota, this is the second straight loss for them and drops their season record to 8-8.
Tuesday’s matchup is shaping up to be a tough contest: The Rockets have swept the boards this season, having averaged 50.2 rebounds per game (they rank first in rebounds per game overall). However, it’s a different story for the Timberwolves, as they have averaged just 41.1. Given the Rockets’ considerable advantage in that area, the Timberwolves will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Rockets came up short against the Timberwolves in their previous meeting in April, falling 113-106. Can the Rockets avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We will know very soon.
Odd
Minnesota is a 3.5-point favorite against Houston, according to the latest report NBA Odds.
Bettors had a good idea of the line for this one, as the game began with the Timberwolves as 2.5-point favorites.
The over/under is 221 points.
See NBA selections for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Minnesota has won 9 of its last 10 games against Houston.
- April 2, 2024 – Minnesota 113 vs. Houston 106
- February 4, 2024: Minnesota 111 vs. Houston 90
- January 5, 2024: Minnesota 122 vs. Houston 95
- January 23, 2023: Houston 119 vs. Minnesota 114
- January 21, 2023: Minnesota 113 vs. Houston 104
- January 8, 2023: Minnesota 104 vs. Houston 96
- November 5, 2022: Minnesota 129 vs. Houston 117
- April 3, 2022 – Minnesota 139 vs. Houston 132
- January 9, 2022: Minnesota 141 vs. Houston 123
- October 20, 2021: Minnesota 124 vs. Houston 106
