Inside The Rockets

Rockets Collapse in Loss vs. Wolves

The Houston Rockets couldn't finish things against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) controls the ball as Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Dec 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) controls the ball as Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets are stunned after a 113-112 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night inside Toyota Center.

The Rockets were up 15 points with 4:19 left in the fourth quarter, but the Wolves went on a 20-4 run to end the game, which ended on an exclamation point with an Anthony Edwards 3-pointer with 23 seconds to go.

With the shot clock turned off, Rockets coach Ime Udoka opted to let the final possession play out, and Fred VanVleet missed a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to go as Houston was left baffled on its home floor.

Alperen Sengun was the leading scorer for the Rockets with 38 points and 12 rebounds. Amen Thompson had 20 points and 11 rebounds.

The Wolves had 27 points for Julius Randle, while Anthony Edwards added 24 of his own.

The Rockets' collapse is arguably the worst of the season, and it's very out of character for what they have done all season long. It was clear that the Rockets ran out of gas after playing back-to-back nights late in the fourth quarter, and not being able to finish things out proved to be a fatal mistake for the team.

The Rockets are back in action on Sunday against the Miami Heat. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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