The Rockets Rode An Historically Great Third Quarter To Blow Out The Timberwolves In Game 4

After an uninspiring performance in a Game 3 loss on the road, the Houston Rockets came out of the gates in sluggish fashion once again to begin Game 4 in Minnesota. Granted, the Rockets took a one-point lead into halftime but much of that came on the strength of only two turnovers as Houston’s normally dominant offensive sputtered to the tune of 38 percent shooting from the floor and only 7 of 28 from beyond the three-point arc.

However, the flood gates opened after the break and, in the blink of an eye, the result was no longer in doubt as the No. 1 seed cruised to a 119-100 victory and a 3-1 series lead. The third quarter was an exercise in dominance for the Rockets, as they outscored the overmatched Wolves by a startling 50-20 clip. In the process, Houston matched NBA history, becoming only the second team to produce 50 points in a playoff quarter.

In that period, the Rockets connected on 14 of 23 field goal attempts, including a blistering 9 of 13 from three, and Houston also knocked down all 13 (yes, 13) attempts it was afforded at the free throw line. James Harden was MVP-like in the quarter, scoring 22 points on 10 shots (on the way to 36 points for the evening), and Chris Paul added 15 points to aid in the complete and utter onslaught.

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All told, the Rockets did not play exceedingly well in the other three quarters and, in fact, they were outscored by the underdog Wolves for the 36 minutes outside of the third period. Still, this kind of singular dominance was a reminder that Houston’s upside is matched only by the defending champion Warriors and, in the process, the Rockets effectively ended any threat of a Minnesota comeback bid in the series.