Julian AndrewsWeb Editorial AssociateTwitter
The Rockets have the best offense in the NBA, but through two quarters the Wolves have leaned on hard-nosed defense and rebounding and played the Rockets well in a game that has been a bit of a slugfest at times. On offense, Derrick Rose has paced Minnesota, getting to the rim seemingly at will, and showcasing the speed and quickness that he was known for earlier in his career. Rose has nine points on 4-8 shooting.
The Wolves definitely benefit from this type of a game. They don’t want to let Houston run up and down the court on them, so a slower, more defensive contest works in their favor. The Rockets are shooting only 21.1-percent on 19 three-point attempts and 42.9-percent from the field. The athleticism of Rose and Jimmy Butler is clearly bothering Chris Paul, who has only six points and two assists.
The Rockets went on a bit of a run to close out the half and lead Minnesota 54-47, but the Wolves are playing their game. Wiggins kept the Wolves in it in the first quarter, and Butler (10 points, four rebounds) and Rose put on a show in the second.
This one is far from over, but anyone who expected the Wolves to roll over easily against Houston has got another thing coming. We’re in for an exciting second half in Houston, stay tuned.