It took 14 quarters of their first-round playoff series, but the Houston Rockets finally played like the team that had the NBA’s best record in the regular season. Now Houston is back home and ready to finish off Minnesota in Game 5 Wednesday.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

It’s quite possible that the Eastern Conference playoffs could see the top two seeded teams, the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics, both eliminated in the first round as they are in very tough series against the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.

The top of the Western Conference, though, looks to be chalk. No. 2 Golden State was expected to advance to the conference semifinals by beating San Antonio in Game 5 on Tuesday night, and No. 1 Houston is a double-digit favourite to eliminate No. 8 Minnesota on Wednesday night as the series returns to Texas’ most populous city. Early action is heavily on Houston for this NBA matchup.

The Rockets have no interest in returning to Minneapolis for Game 6 and would like to get as much rest as possible before facing the winner of the Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City series in the next round. That Game 5 starts simultaneously on Wednesday with the Jazz holding a 3-1 lead but a slight road underdog in OKC.

The total for Timberwolves-Rockets Game 5 is set at 217 (under a slight favorite), with Minnesota giving a number of 102.5 and Houston 114.5. The Rockets by more than 21 points is surprisingly the early favourite as winning margin at +240.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves followed their best game of the series with their worst quarter of the season, if not franchise history, in losing Game 4 119-100 at home on Monday. Trailing by just one at the half, Minnesota was outscored a whopping 50-20 in the third and the game was over. It was a Rockets franchise record for most points in a quarter, and the 30-point differential matched the largest for any single quarter in NBA playoff history. Defence has been a year-long problem for the Timberwolves, but that’s obscene.

Overall, Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Canada’s Andrew Wiggins wasn’t much of a factor in shooting 5-for-14 for 14 points and a team-worst plus/minus of minus-30. Jeff Teague suffered a dislocated pinkie finger, popped it back in and returned but had just two points and was minus-28 in 28 minutes.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets had not played like the NBA’s best regular-season team in this series until that third quarter Monday. The 50 points were the second-most in any playoff quarter in league history, behind the Lakers’ 51 in 1962 vs. the Pistons. James Harden (22) and Chris Paul (15) combined for 37 of those 50 points, the most by any duo in any postseason quarter in the past two decades. The team shot 60.9 per cent overall in the third (14-for-23) and 69 per cent (9-for-13) from deep. It’s the third time dating to the regular season that Harden outscored an entire team in quarter. He finished with 36 points overall – despite missing all seven shots in the first — and Paul 25 with six assists and six rebounds. Neither played even 35 minutes with the game a blowout.

Injuries

Minnesota

Jeff Teague (PG)

Prob Wed Finger - 24 / 04 / 18

Tyus Jones (PG)

Prob Wed Knee - 23 / 04 / 18

Taj Gibson (PF)

Prob Sun Neck - 15 / 04 / 18

Derrick Rose (PG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 06 / 04 / 18

Justin Patton (C)

out for season Foot - 04 / 04 / 18

Cole Aldrich (C)

Ques Mon Illness - 26 / 03 / 18

Shabazz Muhammad (SG)

Out Fri Coach's Decision - 01 / 03 / 18

Aaron Brooks (PG)

Out indefinitely Personal - 01 / 03 / 18

Marcus Georges-Hunt (SG)

Ques Fri Illness - 07 / 02 / 18

Jamal Crawford (SG)

Prob Thurs Toe - 25 / 01 / 18

Houston

PJ Tucker (SF)

Prob Wed Knee - 24 / 04 / 18

Trevor Ariza (SF)

Out Wed Rest - 11 / 04 / 18

Clint Capela (C)

Prob Sun Hand - 11 / 04 / 18

Eric Gordon (SG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 11 / 04 / 18

Luc Mbah a Moute (PF)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 11 / 04 / 18

Nene (C)

Out Wed Rest - 11 / 04 / 18

Chris Paul (PG)

Out Wed Rest - 11 / 04 / 18

Tarik Black (PF)

Ques Tues Back - 06 / 04 / 18

Ryan Anderson (PF)

Prob Sat Ankle - 03 / 04 / 18

Gerald Green (SG)

day-to-day Leg - 01 / 04 / 18

Injuries

Minnesota

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jeff Teague (PG)	Prob Wed	Finger - 24 / 04 / 18	0-1	1-0	+ -
Teague is expected to suit up for Game 5 of the Western Conference first round against the Rockets despite a dislocated finger.
Tyus Jones (PG)	Prob Wed	Knee - 23 / 04 / 18	1-1	2-0	+ -
Jones is hampered by soreness in his right knee but is likely to play against the Rockets in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
Taj Gibson (PF)	Prob Sun	Neck - 15 / 04 / 18	3-2	3-2	+ -
Gibson is expected to play against the Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Rockets despite a neck injury.
Derrick Rose (PG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 06 / 04 / 18	6-3	4-5	+ -
Rose is battling an ankle injury but is expected to be available for Friday's game against the Lakers.
Justin Patton (C)	out for season	Foot - 04 / 04 / 18	6-3	4-5	+ -
Patton had surgery on his left foot to repair a fractured metatarsal and is likely to miss the remainder of the season.
Cole Aldrich (C)	Ques Mon	Illness - 26 / 03 / 18	6-6	6-7	+ -
Aldrich is battling an illness and it is uncertain if he will be available against the Grizzlies on Monday.
Shabazz Muhammad (SG)	Out Fri	Coach's Decision - 01 / 03 / 18	10-12	13-10	+ -
Muhammad will not be available Friday against the Jazz as he works with the team toward a buyout.
Aaron Brooks (PG)	Out indefinitely	Personal - 01 / 03 / 18	10-12	13-10	+ -
Brooks has been sidelined due to a personal matter and it is uncertain when he will return.
Marcus Georges-Hunt (SG)	Ques Fri	Illness - 07 / 02 / 18	12-18	20-11	+ -
Georges-Hunt has missed the last five games with an illness and his availability for Friday against the Rockets is uncertain.
Jamal Crawford (SG)	Prob Thurs	Toe - 25 / 01 / 18	16-21	23-15	+ -
Crawford is expected to be on the court for Thursday's game against the Warriors despite an injured toe.

Houston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
PJ Tucker (SF)	Prob Wed	Knee - 24 / 04 / 18	8-5	5-8	+ -
Tucker is expected to suit up against the Timberwolves for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a left knee injury.
Trevor Ariza (SF)	Out Wed	Rest - 11 / 04 / 18	9-10	6-13	+ -
Ariza will not be available against the Kings on Wednesday as he will be given the night off to rest.
Clint Capela (C)	Prob Sun	Hand - 11 / 04 / 18	9-10	6-13	+ -
Capela is battling a hand injury but is likely to be available for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Timberwolves.
Eric Gordon (SG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 11 / 04 / 18	9-10	6-13	+ -
Gordon has soreness in his left ankle but is expected to suit up against the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference first round.
Luc Mbah a Moute (PF)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 11 / 04 / 18	9-10	6-13	+ -
Mbah a Moute is recovering from a dislocated right shoulder but is expected to return for Game 1 of the Western Conference second round against the Jazz.
Nene (C)	Out Wed	Rest - 11 / 04 / 18	9-10	6-13	+ -
Nene will receive a day of rest and will not partake in Wednesday's game against the Kings.
Chris Paul (PG)	Out Wed	Rest - 11 / 04 / 18	9-10	6-13	+ -
Paul will not participate in Wednesday's game against the Kings due to a day of rest.
Tarik Black (PF)	Ques Tues	Back - 06 / 04 / 18	9-11	6-14	+ -
Black sat out the last game with a stiff lower back and it is unclear if he will play against the Lakers on Tuesday.
Ryan Anderson (PF)	Prob Sat	Ankle - 03 / 04 / 18	10-12	7-15	+ -
Anderson is recovering from a left ankle sprain but is expected to play in Game 3 of the Western Conference first round against the Timberwolves.
Gerald Green (SG)	day-to-day	Leg - 01 / 04 / 18	10-13	7-16	+ -
Green exited the previous game due to a left leg injury and it is unknown if he will return.

Timberwolves vs. Rockets Prediction