Wolves Suffer Home Loss to Rockets
Jonah BallowWolves Editor/Writer
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Scola was pesky throughout the contest, finding creases inside the Wolves defense for 25 points on 11-for-22 shooting from the field. In a game-high 43 minutes of action, Scola also ripped down a career-high 21 of the Rockets 49 boards to outrebound Minnesota by nine. He took advantage of the Wolves frontline sans Al Jefferson, who missed the second of the two-game suspension.
"Scola is a terrific ball player, he really understands the game," head coach Kurt Rambis said. "He knows how to move without the basketball, he reads defenses really well and he plays off of his teammates."
Aside from Scola's monster night, Houston closed the first and third quarters with big runs to extend its consistent lead. The Rockets put together a 9-0 spurt at the end of the first period just as Minnesota trimmed the deficit to 24-22. Same story in the final three minutes of the third period; Houston scored nine straight points and headed to the final stanza with a comfortable 89-73 lead.
"That’s something that our team is still trying to learn and still trying to figure out, that those our important parts of the ballgames. Getting off to a good start, closing out each quarter, closing out the half, and getting out to a good start in the third quarter," Rambis added.
On the perimeter, former Kings star Martin curled off screens early and often for 30 points to lead his squad in scoring. Speedy point guard Aaron Brooks once again enjoyed a sparkling night against the Wolves with 25 points and nine assists after recording 43 in the triple-overtime thriller earlier this year.
Kevin Love needed some time to heat up, scoring his first bucket at the 7:55 mark of the second quarter. The second-year forward finished strong by compiling 20 points and 11 boards. The final box score only displays four assists, however, Love deserves credit for at least three jaw-dropping full court outlet passes.
"It happens to be that my parents never let me play football and I always wanted to be quarterback, so that's kind of it," Love joked. "I wanted to be a pitcher but basketball is kind of my sport, so that's where I get it from. I just look up the court at what we have, a quick glimpse, it's all instinctive."
Most fans are aware of his ability to toss lengthy passes to teammates striking down the floor from his UCLA days. Tonight, Love may have even impressed himself with the uncanny ability to rip down a rebound and quickly find the Target for an easy deuce on the other side of the floor.
"It's really non-verbal, Damien [Wilkins] of all people knows that I throw that pass but I have told the coaches, I've told the front office that we need to engage that a little bit more because that looses them a rebound or if they want to get back or if they want to crash the boards, it's going to be tough for them to get back and it's going to get them winded," Love said.
Love's frontcourt mates, Ryan Gomes, Ryan Hollins, and Darko Milicic helped Minnesota outscore Houston in the paint 52-32. Gomes aggressively fought to reach the free throw line, earning eight trips to the charity stripe, where he connected on seven of his 17 points. The home crowd was also treated to a taped Happy Birthday serenade from Gomes to his wife on the video board during the first half.
Hollins finished with 15 points and was perfect from the field, hitting 7-for-7 and following up missed shots for putback dunks. Milicic continues to work on polishing his low-post game but the Wolves center managed to snag nine boards and dish out five assists in his second consecutive start in place of Jefferson.
Corey Brewer kept the streak alive tonight by draining a trey at the 4:31 mark of the third period. The Minnesota guard has now hit a trey in 27 consecutive games, which is a franchise record. On the opposite side, Brooks' owns a current streak of 34 games with a 3-pointer that continued in the Rockets win.
Dropping to 14-49 on the season, Minnesota returns to the practice floor tomorrow afternoon in preparation for a busy week at the Target Center. The Wolves host three playoff teams in five days with games against Dallas, Denver, and San Antonio.
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