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Timberwolves-Rockets Preview

Jan 13, 2010 - 4:58 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Minnesota (8-31) at Houston (21-16), 8:30 p.m. EDT

Returning home seems to be the best remedy to help the Houston Rockets forget about their recent troubles on the road. Facing the Minnesota Timberwolves could also help.

The Rockets look to bounce back from their latest road loss while trying to extend their home winning streak to eight games and beat the lowly Timberwolves for the 10th straight time Wednesday night.

Houston (21-17) returns home after losing for the fourth time in five games, 102-94 at Charlotte on Tuesday. Each defeat during that span has come on the road where the Rockets are 10-13 with five straight losses.

Opening a three-game homestand against Minnesota (8-31) might be what Houston needs to get back on track. The Rockets are 11-4 at the Toyota Center, where they've won seven in a row - their longest undefeated home stretch since a 12-game winning streak from Jan. 31-March 8. Houston plays nine of its next 10 at home.

"We can't afford to lose at home," forward Luis Scola told the Rockets' official Web site. "You just need to play hard and if we play that way we're going to be okay. We're going to win more games."

Houston has won six straight at home over Minnesota, which hasn't beaten the Rockets anywhere since an overtime victory at home Jan. 7, 2007. The Timberwolves, 3-16 on the road this season, haven't won in Houston since April 12, 2006.

However, if the Rockets are going to continue their success in the series, they'll have to improve their overall play after shooting 41.7 percent for the game and being outscored 52-34 in the second half at Charlotte.

"We did a poor job of maintaining our aggressiveness," Rockets forward Shane Battier said.

Scola had 18 points with 14 rebounds and Trevor Ariza scored 19 for Houston, which is averaging 92.3 points on 41.3 percent shooting while losing five of its last six road games. The Rockets are averaging 102.1 points and shooting 46.7 percent during their seven-game home winning streak.

Minnesota, meanwhile, is giving up 110.4 points per contest while losing seven of its last eight overall.

Aaron Brooks, Houston's leading scorer with 18.2 points per game, had 11 points and shot 3 of 14 from the field Tuesday after averaging 24.1 on 49.6 percent shooting in his previous seven contests.

Scola had 20 points with 16 rebounds and Ariza added 18 points in Houston's 97-84 win at Minnesota in the teams' last meeting Nov. 18.

The Timberwolves have dropped consecutive games and four straight on the road after falling 105-94 at Denver on Monday. Corey Brewer scored 25 points, Al Jefferson added 22 with 15 rebounds and Kevin Love had 20 points and 14 boards, but Minnesota got only 15 points off the bench and shot 37.0 percent overall.

Jefferson, once again the subject of trade rumors, is averaging 21.6 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last five games.

Despite a recent report that cited anonymous sources saying Timberwolves president David Kahn offered Jefferson to Indiana in exchange for Danny Granger, the veteran forward said he was assured by Kahn that he would not be moved.

"I've been in this league long enough to know, this time of the year, every year, you're going to hear rumors about trades and stuff before the trade deadline," said Jefferson, the centerpiece of the trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston from Minnesota.

Jefferson is averaging 28.8 points and 14.2 boards in his last five games against the Rockets.