Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ben DuBose

Takeaways: Tari Eason enjoys career night as Rockets fall in Minnesota

Tari Eason Rockets MIN Alperen Sengun Minnesota (Organization) Jonathan Feigen Jackson Gatlin ATT Sportsnet Jalen Green KJ Martin

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

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Dave Grohl 'no longer working with divorce attorney' after fathering secret child
Foo Fighters frontman hoping to reconcile with wife Jordyn Blum after admitting fathering a child with another woman
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Taylor Swift shares ‘extremely important’ reminder for US election
Pop star endorsed Kamala Harris after watching her presidential debate against Donald Trump in September
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
The 27 Club isn’t true, but it is real − a sociologist explains why myths endure and how they shape reality
There’s a certain allure to the notion that some of the world’s brightest stars burn out at the age of 27. The so-called 27 Club has captivated the public imagination for half a century. Its members include legendary musicians Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.…
The Conversation
The Conversation
Quincy Jones’s music was the soundtrack to so many Black lives – and something we could be proud of
There will be countless tributes to the revered producer, but for me he evokes happy days growing up and the chaos of family parties, says music industry employee Michelle Kambasha
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Dick Van Dyke makes rare social media appearance to endorse US Presidential candidate
'Mary Poppins' star Dick Van Dyke, 98, has made a rare social media appearance to pledge his support to Kamala Harris in the US Presidential race, and he did so by reciting a speech he delivered alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at a 1964 civil rights event.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Rihanna Showed Off Her Glossy Waves With The Blunt Bob of My Dreams
Fall hair inspiration at its finest.
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play