The Rockets and Timberwolves met for the fourth and final time this season, and each matchup had a playoff-like intensity to it. The Wolves again entered shorthanded down not just Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo but also Rudy Gobert,

On Friday night, the Houston Rockets will re-start their 2024-25 season post-All Star break. The team skidded into All-Star weekend, losing seven in 10 tries, falling a few spots in the West standings in the process.

Jabari Smith Jr. returns for the Rockets, but the Timberwolves have Anthony Edwards, Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert on the injury report after the All-Star break.