HOUSTON – When it comes to the Timberwolves, assumption is a dangerous thing.
Anyone could look at their schedule and see Sunday night's matchup against the Rockets, basement dwellers of the Western Conference, and assume a victory.
The first 18 minutes of the game felt like the Wolves made that assumption themselves, but after a head-scratching start, they regrouped in time to beat Houston 104-96 for their fourth consecutive victory.
The Wolves fell behind by 20 in the first half before cutting it to four by halftime. They still trailed by four entering the fourth quarter, but they clamped down the defensive end and pulled ahead for good. It marked the first time the Wolves came back to win from a deficit of at least 20 points since Dec. 13, 2016.
As a reporter brought up that statistic to forward Kyle Anderson, Anderson joked: "I was about to say, is that the first time ever?"
The Wolves pulled it off thanks to defense. They held Houston to 33% shooting and 34 points in the second half. They also pulled it off because Houston is full of young, inexperienced players who couldn't hold a lead once the Wolves decided to show up.
"It was literally a matter of whenever we were going to sit down and start guarding people, we'd get back in the game, no matter what the deficit was," coach Chris Finch said.
The Wolves were down 58-38 with 5 minutes, 40 seconds remaining in the second quarter when Finch turned to a lineup of Rudy Gobert, Anderson, Anthony Edwards, Taurean Prince and Jaden McDaniels. Edwards said that lineup allows the Wolves to switch more because there are such solid on-ball defenders in that group. The Wolves finished the second quarter on a 20-4 run.
"Get low and guard," Gobert said of the difference. "Whether you're tired. Whatever is going on, whether it's raining, shining. Whatever. Just leave it all out there and when we all do it, it's contagious. It's contagious and then whoever comes back on the court better do it too."
Gobert said Friday he wanted to take it upon himself to be a tone-setter for the group. After Gobert and the Wolves allowed Alperen Sengun to score 18 first-half points, they didn't let Sengun score again. That mirrored the defensive intensity they had the rest of the game.
Gobert finished with 18 points and 11 11 rebounds. He commanded the paint in the second half and had a number of authoritative dunks.
"I would love it personally [if Gobert set the tone]," Prince said. "I know the guys would appreciate it as well. Another guy to bring the tone, whether it's hard fouls, protecting the rim and doing what he does best. It only benefits us."
Prince's return has been a big benefit to the Wolves as well. He had seven of his 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Wolves finally mounted a double-digit lead thanks to a 17-2 run in the opening minutes of the quarter.
D'Angelo Russell had a team-high 22 points. Edwards played through left hip soreness to score 21.
There were other nights this season the Wolves never came back after falling behind. This game, which marked the halfway point of their season at 20-21, was different.
"We're doing a much better job of hanging together when things are tough, you know?" Finch said. "I didn't think when we got down tonight it was a matter of coming apart at the seems, so to speak."
Whether a team beats the best in the league or a team like the Rockets, the locker room is never a gloomy place after any win. There was plenty of chitchat, especially from the outgoing Edwards, and good moods after the game, even for the angst that was present for the first half. The Wolves got a win, and given the season they have had so far, they aren't taking any one of them for granted.
"We were down big early," Edwards said. "I was looking around and everybody came together, like, 'Let's do it. If we're going to do it, we got to do it now. We can't wait.' "
