The last time the Houston Rockets lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves was Jan. 11, 2017. This is the first time the Wolves franchise has made the playoffs in 13 years. The Rockets have an ideal matchup to ensure a quick path to the second round of the Western Conference.
Minnesota is talented and gritty as hell, and Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson and Jamal Crawford have all been in playoff battles. So has Tom Thibodeau, and he’s won most of his battles as both a head coach and an assistant.