Rookie forward Tari Eason scored a career-high 17 points in only 23 minutes on 6-of-8 shooting (75.0%), including 2-of-2 on 3-pointers, but it wasn’t close to enough for the Houston Rockets in Saturday night’s 129-117 setback (box score) at Minnesota.
Karl Anthony Towns led the host Timberwolves, who improved to 5-5, with 25 points (64.3% FG, 50.0% on 3-pointers), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks. The Rockets lost their sixth straight and fell to 1-9 on the season, which is currently the NBA’s worst record.
Houston’s backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green struggled as shooters, combining to score 34 points — including a team-high 21 by Green — on a combined 9-of-28 shooting (32.1%) with 8 turnovers. By contrast, frontcourt starters Alperen Sengun and KJ Martin were much more efficient. Sengun had 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting (88.9%), along with 7 rebounds and 5 assists, while Martin had 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting (75.0%) and 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%).
Scroll on for highlights, analysis and postgame interviews from Saturday night at Target Center. The next stop for Houston’s four-game road trip is Monday night in Orlando, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. Central. That game could feature a matchup of two highly touted rookie forwards in Paolo Banchero of the Magic and Jabari Smith Jr. of the Rockets, though it remains to be seen if Smith will play, since he missed Saturday’s game in Minnesota with an illness.
Highlights
Analysis and Interviews
Timberwolves 129, Rockets 117: Houston takes 6th straight loss https://t.co/CfzQtlLzCX via @houstonchron
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun with the SAUCE pic.twitter.com/Sjly5EHeOh
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 6, 2022
The #Rockets offense just looks so much better when Alperen Sengun is heavily involved.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun's court vision is unreal. pic.twitter.com/LHH3BMEPjL
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 6, 2022
Only 1 assist and 4 made shots in the second quarter.
7 more turnovers though. https://t.co/bkXaHfyEKe
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 6, 2022
B A L L M O V E M E N T
JOIN: https://t.co/g2OAmTfNFv pic.twitter.com/YUY4ARZ0Bz
— RocketsWatch (@RocketsWatch) November 6, 2022
Jalen Green early step-back three!
JOIN: https://t.co/g2OAmSXErn pic.twitter.com/L8aZ09bxod
— RocketsWatch (@RocketsWatch) November 6, 2022
Basket mic picking up Tari Eason communicating what went wrong with Alperen Sengun after the defensive breakdown.
Love that.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 6, 2022
Eric Gordon knocks down his second 3 on his sixth attempt and moves into the top 25 in career 3s, tied with Peja Stojakovic.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 6, 2022
Sengun scoring or passing is accounting for 70 percent of the Rockets points in the third quarter. But he sits after his fourth foul.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 6, 2022
Sengun and Towns are basically unable to stop one another. Sengun up to 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting. Towns sits with 24 points on 9 of 12 shooting after picking up his fourth foul.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 6, 2022
Rockets average 16.1 turnovers per game. They committed 15 in the first half, leading to 27 Timberwolves points. They've been outscored by 20 off turnovers and trail by 19.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 6, 2022
Tari Eason checks in and immediately picks up Anthony Edwards. He's getting some tough matchups lately.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 6, 2022
tari eason tonight:
17 points
6 rebounds (3 offensive)
2 assists
1 steal
75% FG (6-8)
100% 3P (2-2)
in only 23 minutes off the bencha new career high for tari 🔥 pic.twitter.com/clKchK6bSq
— jeff (@retrojeffhoops) November 6, 2022
What a pass by @TAR13ASON to @Usmangaruba !!!#Rockets Tonight vs MIN
Tari Eason – 17 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST
Usman Garuba – 7 PTS / 3 REB / 2 STL@HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/JirWhZhOA5— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) November 6, 2022
Alperen Sengun tonight vs MIN
17 PTS / 8-9 FG / 7 REB / 5 AST#Rockets @alperennsengun @HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/Hk2190GDEI
— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) November 6, 2022
KJ Martin tonight vs MIN
17 PTS / 6-8 FG / 3-5 3PT / 3 REB#Rockets @kj__martin @HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/8ygXg9Imjn
— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) November 6, 2022
