Space City Scoop
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Houston Rockets look to win last game before All-Star break

By Michael Knight

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 3: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 3, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 3: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 3, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Houston Rockets will look to finish strong on the last game before the All-Star break. Can they beat a Timberwolves team that upset them in the last matchup?

The Houston Rockets are winners of 7 of their last 10 and are looking to add one more win as they face the Timberwolves tonight in cold Minnesota. This is only the second matchup of the year between the two teams, with the first coming in an early-December upset by the Wolves.

This time around, the Rockets are pretty much a completely different team. They’ve added role players like Austin Rivers, Kenneth Faried and Iman Shumpert while trading away or cutting players like James Ennis, Carmelo Anthony and Michael Carter-Williams. The latter two didn’t play in the first game against Minny, but were still on the roster in what feels like ages ago.

Some guys that killed the Rockets in that game could be out for this one. Robert Covington, who hit some keys shots in that game, has a knee injury and is out. Andrew Wiggins, who had an efficient 16 points along with 3 blocks, is battling an illness and is questionable.

The Rockets will be without Austin Rivers as he has a sore right elbow. Look for Shumpert to likely take on more minutes as well as others.

James Harden 30-point streak

James Harden is in a unique and dominant streak right now, as many of you may have heard. He has scored 30 or more in 30 straight games, the most in the modern era of basketball (Wilt’s record will stand forever, probably).

One facet of this streak that I find extremely entertaining and that is being overlooked a bit is that Harden has the chance to score 30 or more against every team in the league this year. The Timberwolves are one of the three remaining teams that have held the Beard under 30 points this season. Check out my tweet from the other day:

James Harden is on a mission. He’s getting close to scoring 30+ points against EVERY SINGLE team this year.

The #Rockets have yet to play Charlotte or Atlanta, but besides them, just Minnesota remains.

Will he do it? pic.twitter.com/4jGYkjLIVv

— Space City Scoop (@SpaceCity_Scoop) February 5, 2019

If he wants to extend his streak to 31 consecutive games, he’ll have to do it against Minny tonight. If he doesn’t get it tonight, then he’ll have one more opportunity against the Wolves in the middle of March. As for the other two teams (Charlotte and Atlanta), Harden will have two opportunities against each of them during the rest of the year.

Next. Rockets showing interest in Markieff Morris

It’d be great for Harden to continue this streak tonight against the Timberwolves going into the break. Be sure to tune into AT&T SportsNet or ESPN tonight to watch it live!

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