Timberwolves vs. Rockets: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

The Minnesota Timberwolves (19-20) play against the Houston Rockets (29-29) at Toyota Center Game Time: 7:00 PM EST on Sunday January 9, 2022 Minnesota Timberwolves 46, Houston Rockets 33 (Q2 08:43) What’s the buzz on Twitter? Dane Moore @ …

The Minnesota Timberwolves (19-20) play against the Houston Rockets (29-29) at Toyota Center

Game Time: 7:00 PM EST on Sunday January 9, 2022

Minnesota Timberwolves 46, Houston Rockets 33 (Q2 08:43)

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Josh Okogie has some textbook defensive possessions this season. Like, extended possessions where he plays it perfectly — pressure, seamless switches, rotations, contests, quick hands. – 7:44 PM
Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
OK now I can watch the Timberwolves with both eyes now. – 7:42 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
17 first quarter points from Ant last game, 18 first quarter points from KAT tonight.
DLo also had 27 last game on 11/12 shooting.
Wolves Big 3 is rolling lately.
The KAT + DLo + Ant 3-man lineup has the best 3-man net rating in the NBA outside of Utah this season (+14.7). – 7:39 PM
Minnesota Timberwolves PR @Twolves_PR
At the end of the first quarter, the @Minnesota Timberwolves lead the Rockets 36-26.
Towns leads all with 18 points on 7-10 shooting, a season-high in the first, his 10th 10+ point first quarter of the season and his 14th career 18+ point first quarter, which is the most in team history. – 7:39 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
Karl-Anthony Towns has 18 points in the first quarter. That’s going to be an issue. – 7:38 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Timberwolves 36, Rockets 26 after 1. Towns with 18 on 7 of 10 shooting. Rockets 3 of 12 on 3s. – 7:37 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
Good news: The Rockets didn’t give up 40 in the first quarter! – 7:37 PM
Christopher Hine @ChristopherHine
Karl-Anthony Towns just having a day so far here in Houston. Timberwolves lead the Rockets 36-26 after one. Towns with 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Russell with 8. – 7:37 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
1️⃣ down in H-Town!
Rockets: 26
Wolves: 36
@Kroger | #Rockets pic.twitter.com/iTHs5I14dJ7:37 PM

Minnesota Timberwolves @Timberwolves
A1 WITH THE CIRCUS FINISH #SCTop10
#NBAAllStar @Anthony Edwards pic.twitter.com/3bcr601slZ7:36 PM

Kelly Iko @KellyIkoNBA
Karl-Anthony Towns is having his absolute way right now . Already up to 17 points in the first quarter. This could be a long night. – 7:34 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Rockets outscoring Towns 21-18. Other Wolves scoring, too, however. – 7:33 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
This feels like a game the Wolves will wreck the Rockets – 7:32 PM
Minnesota Timberwolves PR @Twolves_PR
Timeout on the floor with the @Minnesota Timberwolves leading 15-10 with 6:54 left in the first quarter.
D’Angelo Russell has picked up where he left off on in OKC on Friday night as he’s up to 8 points on 3-4 shooting including 2-3 from deep.
#NBAAllStar @D’Angelo Russell7:21 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Knowing the Wolves would hide DLo on Tate, I was interested to see whether they’d put Vando on Porter Jr. or Green.
Who Vando guards is becoming the Wolves’ highest honor. He’s on Green tonight. – 7:19 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Rockets not sending double teams at Towns as they did vs. Embiid. That did not work out so well in Philly so understandable to start this way. But Wolves hitting everything, anyway. – 7:17 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Pat Beverley calls something out to Eric Gordon that had him laughing it up before the tip. – 7:11 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
They have some sort of Star Wars to-do at Toyota Center tonight. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch pointed out that it is the fourth on of these for his team this season. Yeah, yeah, they’ll try to use the fourth. – 7:01 PM
Minnesota Timberwolves @Timberwolves
Tonight’s @MayoClinic Status Report:
Patrick Beverley (Right Groin Soreness) and Leandro Bolmaro (Health and Safety Protocols) are OUT. pic.twitter.com/mgUoYhdAkD6:57 PM

Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
the force is strong at Toyota Center tonight 🛸 pic.twitter.com/56ZUcjnhZl6:41 PM

Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Rockets starters tonight vs T’Wolves: Green, Gordon, Porter Jr, Tate, Wood
T’Wolves starters: Russell, Edwards, McDaniels, Vanderbilt, Towns
And as expected, Pat Beverley is OUT w/ Right Groin Soreness – 6:35 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
#Rockets to start Green, Gordon, KPJ, Tate and Wood vs. Minnesota. – 6:35 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Rockets starters: Tate, Gordon, Wood, Green, Porter Jr.
Timberwolves: McDaniels, Vanderbilt, Anthony-Towns, Edwards, Russell. – 6:32 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
Drip from a galaxy far, far away…
@MichelobULTRA | #ULTRADrip pic.twitter.com/so2d0aLESF6:11 PM

Mark Followill @MFollowill
Acting head coach Sean Sweeney confirms Luka is available for tonight’s game vs Chicago (630, BSSW). He missed the Houston game on Friday with a sprained right ankle. – 5:58 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Sweeney about getting the win in Houston and the team drenching him with water afterward. pic.twitter.com/5WnBkpsMl05:53 PM

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
My @PrizePicks for Wolves-Rockets
Ant over 3.0 FT makes
– This should be an attack game
Wood over 3.0 FT makes
– Taken 13 last two games, Wolves/KAT foul a lot
Porter Jr. under 14.5 pts
– Think he gets the Vando treatment
DLo over 18.5 points
– Rollin with the hot hand – 5:53 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Pat Beverley to be out for the Timberwolves vs. Rockets. – 5:33 PM
Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
Chris Finch says Patrick Beverely is “looking likely to be out” tonight against Houston – 5:33 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Rockets HC Silas said Garrison Mathews looked good this morning and expects him to be available tonight. – 5:23 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Garrison Mathews who was questionable, is good to go for the Rockets. – 5:22 PM
Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
Stephen Silas says it seems like Garrison Mathews is available tonight – 5:21 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
Garrison Mathews will play tonight. – 5:21 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
Coach Silas says Garrison Mathews should be good to go tonight. – 5:21 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Trevelin Queen out for the Rockets for personal reasons. Rockets hope he will be back tomorrow. – 5:18 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
Coach Silas says he plans on having everyone back for the back-to-back. He doesn’t want to get anyone in the high 30s in terms of minutes.
Trevelin Queen is out tonight for personal reasons – Coach hopes to have him back tomorrow. – 5:18 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Rockets HC Silas says Trevelin Queen is out tonight for personal reasons but should be back tomorrow. – 5:17 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
Stephen Silas says Trevelin Queen is out for personal reasons. – 5:17 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
PHL ➡️ IAH. Because who wouldn’t want to trade four days at home for a random one-off to Houston thanks to rescheduled games that were postponed due to too many players in protocols 🙃 – 4:59 PM
Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
NFC North has lowkey been as trash as the AFC East the last two decades.
It’s quite remarkable.
Total winning seasons from 2001-21:
Minnesota (9)
New York Jets (8)
Chicago, Miami (7)
Buffalo (6)
Detroit (4)
People like to dump on Cincinnati but the #Bengals have had 8. – 4:53 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Here’s the #Sixers injury report for tomorrow’s game vs. the #Rockets : pic.twitter.com/030Y12chd74:52 PM

Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Texans Davis Mills final stats: 263-394, 2664, 16 TD, 10 INT, 88.8 passer rating. His 66.8 comp. percentage is currently 3rd highest all-time by a rookie QB (min. 250 passes). Mac Jones is just ahead of him at 67.6 heading into his final start. Dak Prescott has top mark at 67.8. – 4:32 PM
Mike Beuoy @inpredict
Seems like the timeout was more valuable there for Houston. Seemed like a very low probability challenge. – 3:58 PM
Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
Being frustrated by the Houston Texans during the final week of the regular season was not at all something I had on the schedule. I was perfectly fine with not having to think about them at all. – 3:41 PM
Michael Singer @msinger
Have to wonder to what degree Bol Bol’s game against HOU (career-high 11 points in 20 minutes) on New Year’s Day played in piquing Detroit’s interest. That was only the 2nd time all season he’s reached double-digits in minutes.
In last 3 seasons, Bol played 328 total minutes. – 3:39 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
Sunday night hoops! 🙌
⏰ 6:00 PM Tip-Off
📺 @ATTSportsNetSW
📻 @SportsTalk790 / En Español KLAT 1010AM pic.twitter.com/WAYBeG9MAq3:00 PM

Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Latest #Rockets injury report for tonight vs T’Wolves: Armoni Brooks listed OUT (health & safety protocols). Mathews (ankle) remains questionable. Sengun (ankle) & Garuba (H&S protocols) remain OUT. – 2:55 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Update to the Rockets’ injury/status report today, per the NBA: guard Armoni Brooks listed out in health and safety protocols. Brooks returned on Friday after missing a week in health and safety protocols. – 2:49 PM
Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
Armoni Brooks is back in Health and Safety protocols and will not play tonight against the Timberwolves, per the NBA’s injury report – 2:47 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2019, the @Houston Rockets James Harden scored 42 points in a loss to the Bucks, starting a streak of 11 consecutive 35-point games.
The only players in NBA history with a longer such streak are Wilt Chamberlain (3x) and Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/HqBiIqFDES1:31 PM

Washington Wizards @WashWizards
Over his last six games, Daniel Gafford’s 84.6 true shooting percentage leads the team and ranks second in the NBA in that time (min. 15 MPG).
#DCAboveAll | @DXCTechnology pic.twitter.com/3IZafnMGp11:30 PM