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Timberwolves looking to regain January form

Feb 7, 2009 - 1:07 PM Minnesota (17-31) at Houston (30-20) 8:30 p.m. EST

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- A fantastic month ended on a sour note for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the team is still trying to regain its winning form.

The Timberwolves look to avoid a second straight loss on Saturday when they visit the Houston Rockets.

After winning only two of 16 games in December, Minnesota won five straight contests to begin January and 10 of its first 12 overall.

However, the Timberwolves dropped the last two games of the month as part of a three-game losing streak and suffered their fourth loss in five games during a 94-86 setback to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Al Jefferson collected 18 points and 11 rebounds and Kevin Love added 16 and 14 for Minnesota, which will need another strong performance from its low-post duo against the Rockets.

Houston is coming off a 104-93 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, who recorded their second straight win after dropping 12 straight games.

The Rockets are 3-4 in their last seven games and second-leading scorer Tracy McGrady seems concerned about his team's streaky play.

"I think there is something wrong," McGrady said. "We do it in spurts. We really needed to come back like we did in the fourth quarter (against Memphis) with that energy ... we could have been down and out. Those guys had a 14-point lead, but we fought back. We looked like a team. We played together and that is why we got back into the ballgame. But we can't do it in spurts."