Final
Brewer's 51, Dieng's late bucket boost T'Wolves over Rockets
Apr 12, 2014 - 5:43 AMVideo
Brewer's breakaway slam put Minnesota ahead 103-98 with 3:05 remaining, but Jeremy Lin nailed a 3-pointer and Chandler Parsons stole a Luc Mbah a Moute pass and jammed it to tie the game at 103-103 with 2:04 to go.
Brewer made a pair of free throws to cap his scoring outburst and Dieng knocked down a jumper for a four-point lead with 37.9 seconds left, but Harden cut the deficit to two with a layup 11.4 seconds later.
Ricky Rubio split a pair from the line for a 108-105 lead. On the other end, Parsons drove in from the wing for a dunk to make it a one-point game. Rubio's free throws stretched the Wolves lead to three points, but Harden buried a 3- pointer with 17.3 seconds remaining to tie the game.
Rubio took the inbounds pass and dribbled the clock down before driving to the hoop and kicking it to Dieng in the lane. The rookie mishandled the pass, but grabbed the loose ball and hit an off-balance jumper for the go-ahead basket.
The Rockets were unable to get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded.
Brewer was 19-of-30 from the field and tied Kevin Love's franchise mark for points in a game, which was set on March 23, 2012. Brewer's previous career high was 29.
"You know how many guys scored 50 in the NBA?" said Brewer."That's what makes it such a special night because I never in my career expected to score 50. There's a lot of good company up there."
Dieng finished with 12 points and 20 rebounds and Dante Cunningham scored 20 points and pulled down 13 boards for the Timberwolves, winners in four of their last six.
James Harden stuffed the stat sheet in defeat, pouring in a team-high 33 points to go with 10 assists, eight rebounds and six steals. Parsons added 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and Lin scored 14 for the Rockets, who hold a one half-game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers for the fourth spot in the Western Conference.
Portland beat the Utah Jazz on Friday. Houston has three games remaining, while Portland has just two. The Rockets will host New Orleans on Saturday and San Antonio on Monday before closing the season in the Big Easy on Wednesday.
"We have no choice now," Harden said. "Three games to go, we're trying to lock in home-court advantage and we just keep letting games slip away."
Brewer scored 16 in the first quarter on 7-of-8 shooting to help Minnesota take a 39-32 lead after 12 minutes. Houston shot 55 percent in the second to carry a 63-59 lead into the break.
Brewer scored 10 in the third to get the Wolves within, 84-82, entering the final frame.
Game Notes
Brewer also had six steals ... Brewer set career highs in field goals made and attempted and free throws made and attempted ... Minnesota scored 28 points off 22 Houston turnovers ... Harden went 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
Apr 12 1:37 AM- 221
rootsRUWTbot Added 23 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 103, Timberwolves 103 4th - 2:20Apr 12 1:35 AM - 198
rootsRUWTbot Took away 18 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 100, Timberwolves 103 4th - 3:05Apr 12 1:34 AM - 216
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 98, Timberwolves 96 4th - 4:38Apr 12 1:34 AM - 207
rootsRUWTbot Took away 5 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 96, Timberwolves 94 4th - 5:26Apr 12 1:34 AM - 212
rootsRUWTbot Added 25 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 92, Timberwolves 94 4th - 5:44Apr 11 10:20 PM - 187
rootsRUWTbot Added 11 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 91, Timberwolves 94 4th - 5:47Apr 11 10:20 PM - 176
rootsRUWTbot Took away 13 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 89, Timberwolves 92 4th - 6:40Apr 11 10:15 PM - 189
rootsRUWTbot Added 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 89, Timberwolves 90 4th - 7:01Apr 11 10:15 PM - 170
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 87, Timberwolves 90 4th - 7:53Apr 11 10:13 PM - 160
rootsRUWTbot Took away 11 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 87, Timberwolves 90 4th - 8:47Apr 11 10:12 PM - 171
rootsRUWTbot Added 11 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 87, Timberwolves 88 4th - 9:08Apr 11 10:12 PM - 160
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 87, Timberwolves 85 4th - 9:50Apr 11 10:07 PM - 136
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 87, Timberwolves 84 4th - 10:00Apr 11 10:07 PM - 126
rootsRUWTbot Took away 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 87, Timberwolves 84 4th - 10:40Apr 11 10:07 PM - 145
rootsRUWTbot Added 25 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 86, Timberwolves 84 4th - 10:58Apr 11 10:06 PM - 120
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 86, Timberwolves 82 4th - 11:13Apr 11 10:05 PM - 112
rootsRUWTbot Took away 15 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Rockets 85, Timberwolves 82 4th - 11:38Apr 11 10:03 PM - HOUSTON: 84
MINNESOTA: 82
End of 3rd
Apr 11 9:58 PM - 127
roots - 122
roots - 109
roots - 100
roots - 85
roots - 52
roots - HOUSTON: 63
MINNESOTA: 59
Halftime
Apr 11 9:08 PM - HOUSTON: 32
MINNESOTA: 39
End of 1st
Apr 11 8:37 PM - HOUSTON: 0
MINNESOTA: 0
1st Quarter - 11:47
Apr 11 8:12 PM
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