Timberwolves edge Rockets in OT

Mark Blount added 21 points and 10 boards while Ricky Davis netted 16 for the T’wolves, who have won four straight. Trenton Hassell donated 14 points and Mike James chipped in 12 points and dished out 10 assists in the win.

Tracy McGrady scored a game-high 31 points and Shane Battier poured in 20 points for the Rockets, who had a five-game winning streak come to an end. Juwan Howard had 19 points in the setback.

Houston opened the fourth with a 22-11 rally, including eight points from McGrady and seven from Luther Head, for an 84-82 edge with 4:15 to play.

Garnett evened the score at 84 and Hassell gave Minnesota the lead, 86-84, with 1:40 left.

Howard’s jump hook tied the game, 86-86, but Hassell’s layup with 1:05 remaining put the Timberwolves back on top.

McGrady’s layup with 11.2 ticks on the clock once again tied the teams, 88-88.

Garnett’s jumper at the end of regulation rimmed out to send the game into overtime.

Howard’s jumper put the Rockets up 94-93, but Garnett drained a pair of free throws and Blount followed with a layup, but couldn’t convert the three-point play, for a 97-94 lead with 1 1/2 minutes left.

James’ layup made it a two possession game and a pair of Hassell free throws made it 101-94 with 23 ticks on the clock.

Minnesota led 24-21 after the opening 12 minutes of play and took a 44-40 margin into the half.

McGrady’s layup cut the deficit to 53-50, but the T’wolves went on an 11-5 spurt, capped by James’ three-point play, for a 64-55 margin.

Battier’s trey narrowed the gap to six, 64-58, but Minnesota tallied seven of the last nine points of the third quarter, ending with Blount’s three as time expired, for a 71-62 margin heading into the fourth quarter.

Game Notes

Houston shot 42 percent from the floor, while the Timberwolves connected on 41 percent of their shots from the field, including 5-of-11 from long distance...Minnesota won the rebounding battle, 49-43...Houston’s Dikembe Mutombo pulled down 13 boards.