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Recap: Rockets vs. Timberwolves - 02/23/2015

James Harden notched his fourth career triple double in a 113-102 Rockets win over the Timberwolves. In addition to racking up 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, the Beard also tied his career-high with four blocked shots.

It wasn’t smooth sailing the whole game, however. One game after taking until the third quarter to hit his first field goal, Harden was again slow to get going. He went 0-6 in the first quarter, but was still productive with two blocks, three boards and four dimes to help Houston grab a one-point lead after the first.

Harden wasn’t the only one struggling early. The Rockets were just 4-20 from three at halftime. At one point, Houston missed 14 consecutive three-pointers. Luckily, the long balls started falling and the Rockets ended the game at 32% from behind-the-arc.

“Guys get a little frustrated but, I mean, you're not going to make every one of them,” Kevin McHale said. “Eventually, if you take enough good ones, you're going to make some. We were one for fifteen or one for sixteen. We ended up going eleven for twenty-three after that. I can live with eleven for twenty-three. We ended up making some shots later. We just can't get frustrated. Honestly, I'm way more concerned about the amount of layups we missed than the amount of three's we missed.”

The Rockets shuffled the starters with Jason Terry starting at point guard while Beverley was out with flu-like symptoms. Kevin McHale also inserted Terrence Jones back into the starting lineup and slid Donatas Motiejunas from power forward to center. Both Jones and Motiejunas came through with big games in their altered roles. Motiejunas scored 12, including a nifty spinning scoop shot around Pekovic and Jones finished with his third double-double of his injury-plagued season, including a new season-high for rebounds (14).

“TJ has been playing well since his return. He's brought us a lot of energy rebounding the basketball, scoring the basketball and blocking shots. He's doing everything. That gives us another option on the court. That helps us a lot,” Harden said.

However, the highlight of the night came late in the third quarter when James Harden unleashed his filthiest cross-over step-back combo of the season on an unsuspecting Ricky Rubio. Overall, Harden scored 11 in the third to put Houston up by nine heading into the final quarter.

The Timberwolves made a late run to get within one, but Harden again came through with a dagger three to seal it for the Rockets. Harden finished with his league-leading 25th game this season with 30+ points and became the first Rocket to have multiple triple doubles in a season since Steve Francis in 2001-02.

The Rockets host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.