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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Martin scored 31 points to lead the Houston Rockets to their seventh straight victory, 107-92 over Minnesota on Monday night in coach Kevin McHale’s first game back at Target Center since he was fired by the Timberwolves in 2009.

Kyle Lowry had 16 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 15 rebounds for the Rockets, who put the game away with a 19-1 run bridging the third and fourth quarters.

Kevin Love had 39 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who committed 10 turnovers in the fourth quarter in coach Rick Adelman’s first game against the team he spent the last four seasons coaching.

Ricky Rubio had 12 assists for Minnesota, but the rookie scored just six points on 2-for-10 shooting and turned the ball over five times.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Kevin Martin scored 31 points to lead the Houston Rockets to their seventh straight victory, 107-92 over Minnesota on Monday night in coach Kevin McHale’s first game back at Target Center since he was fired by the Timberwolves in 2009.
     

Kyle Lowry had 16 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 15 rebounds for the Rockets, who put the game away with a 19-1 run bridging the third and fourth quarters.
     

Kevin Love had 39 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who committed 10 turnovers in the fourth quarter in coach Rick Adelman’s first game against the team he spent the last four seasons coaching.
     

Ricky Rubio had 12 assists for Minnesota, but the rookie scored just six points on 2-for-10 shooting and turned the ball over five times.
     

The Rockets started the season 3-7 and were 0-5 on the road against Western Conference foes entering the game.
     

But the 6-foot-7 Martin was way too much for Minnesota’s small backcourt, overwhelming Luke Ridnour and Wayne Ellington with an array of cuts to the basket, turn-around jumpers and even a one-handed runner off one foot that swished through that gave the Rockets a 50-42 lead late in the first half.
     

The Wolves turned up the defense to take a 70-65 lead late in the third, but the Rockets blew the doors open with that big run to take control. Goran Dragic scored eight in the surge and finished with 14 points.
     

McHale was booed lustily when introduced before the game, a startling reception for someone who once was one of this state’s most revered sports heroes.
     

McHale grew up in Hibbing on Minnesota’s Iron Range and starred at the University of Minnesota before a Hall of Fame pro career with the Boston Celtics.
     

He took over as GM of the Timberwolves in 1995 and helped one of the league’s most woeful franchises become relevant when he drafted Kevin Garnett out of high school in June of that year. The Wolves made the playoffs eight straight years, the last a magical run to the Western Conference finals in 2004.
     

The Wolves haven’t been back to the postseason since, with a series of ill-fated decisions by McHale contributing to their downfall. He was fired in 2009 and spent two seasons in television before joining the Rockets this year.
     

Adelman had a similar exit from Houston, with management deciding not to give him another contract after last season.
     

Martin, Lowry and Luis Scola all went over to shake Adelman’s hand before the game. Adelman spent four seasons in Houston and helped an undermanned team take the Lakers to seven games in the 2009 Western Conference finals.
     

NOTES: The short-handed Wolves were without Michael Beasley (sprained right foot) for the 10th straight game, J.J. Barea (strained left hamstring) for the sixth time in seven games and forward Wes Johnson (illness). … Minnesota rookie Derrick Williams got his first career start and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. … Rockets F Patrick Patterson picked up three fouls in just over 1 minute of playing time in the first quarter.
      

      
      (Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)
 

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Read More: Samuel Dalembert (C – HOU), Kevin Martin (G – HOU), Kevin Love (F – MIN), Ricky Rubio (G – MIN), Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves, Jan 23, 2012 7:00 PM CST

Kevin McHale returns to the Target Center in Minnesota for the first time since being fired by the Timberwolves in June 2009 following 15 years with the franchise. He has to feel pretty good about his Rockets leading after the first half 54-47.

Kevin Love dominated the first half for the T-Wolves with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting and seven rebounds. Rookie Ricky Rubio, despite 2-for-7 shooting, dished out seven assists.

Kevin Martin leads all scorers with 21 points on the Love like 7-for-12 shooting. Kyle Lowrie is well on his way to a triple-double with nine points, seven assists and six rebounds through the first 24 minutes. Samuel Dalembert has grabbed nine rebounds for the Rockets.

For more on the Minnesota Timberwolves, check out SB Nation’s T-Wolves blog Canis Hoopus. If you’re looking for the take on the Houston Rockets, head over to The Dream Shake. You can also check out SB Nation’s NBA hub at SBNation.com/NBA

Feel free to leave your comments below.

By Jeremy Mauss

– Newsdesk contributor

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Jan 23, 2012 – At the quarter point in the 2011-12 NBA season the Houston Rockets are on a roll and have won six in a row and seven of their last eight games to get back within a half game of the Southwest division lead. The resurgance can be traced back to the last-minute signing of center Samuel Dalembert.

With the Rockets winning streak they have moved up the power ranking polls, and SB Nation has moved them up to No. 14:

No. 14 Houston Rockets:

Hey, check out the Rockets, winners of six straight! Samuel Dalembert might end up as one of the offseason’s best pick-ups, which is really something, considering that he was one of the offseason’s final pick-ups.

• CBS Sports has Rockets ranked No. 19 up from last weeks rankings of No. 27.

• ESPN has the Rockets at No. 13.

• NBA.com has the Rockets up four spots to No. 11.

• Pro Basketball Talk puts the Rockets at No. 14.

• Fox Sports has the Rockets at No. 17 up eight spots.

For more on the Rockets go visit The Dream Shake.

Read More: Samuel Dalembert (C – HOU), Houston Rockets

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Ex-Timberwolves PG Timberwolves’ Jonny Flynn against Orlando in first half action Saturday January 15, 2011 at Target Center in Minneapolis. (Pioneer Press: Chris Polydoroff)

Houston Rockets point guard Jonny Flynn, making his first return to Target Center for tonight’s game against the Timberwolves, said he was disappointed with fan criticism when he was with Minnesota last season and the speculation about Ricky Rubio joining the team.

Flynn, drafted No. 6 overall by the Timberwolves in 2009, was traded to the Rockets in June during the 2011 draft after two unsuccessful seasons in Minnesota. The Wolves drafted Rubio No. 5 overall in 2009, but he opted to play two more years in Spain before coming to the NBA this season.

“I let that (the Rubio talk) get to me too much,” Flynn said. “Everybody was always talking about Ricky coming here. My two years here was like five years to me. What I went through taught me a lot about life.”

Flynn and Rubio were considered the Timberwolves’ backcourt of the future when the team drafted them. Flynn started 81 games as a rookie, but struggled last season after a slow recovery from hip surgery in the summer of 2010 to repair a torn labrum. Flynn was limited to 53 games and made only eight starts. He averaged 5.3 points and 3.4 assists in 16.9 minutes.

Flynn didn’t fare well in then-coach Kurt Rambis’ triangle offense, raising doubts about his future with the team and frustrating Timberwolves fans. Flynn said he “tried to stay a professional” about the situation.

“I remember all of that,” Flynn said of the criticism. “It felt like we were playing 82 road games last year when your own crowd was

on you. What did I do to deserve that? I never spoke bad about Minnesota or the organization.”

Flynn said he’s “at peace” with the Rockets (9-7), who enter tonight’s game against the Timberwolves (7-9) with a six-game winning streak. Former Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale will face his former team for the first time as Rockets coach.

Flynn, who said his hip is “100-percent healthy,” has appeared in only five games with the Rockets and has not played since Jan. 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Flynn, averaging 3.6 points and 3.4 assists, is in a rotation at point guard behind veterans Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic.

Flynn’s best game with the Rockets was Jan. 6 against Oklahoma City when he had seven points, six assists and one steal in a season-high 20 minutes.

“I’m just staying ready and waiting for my opportunity,” Flynn said. “I feel much more positive about my situation.”

Follow Ray Richardson at twitter.com/twolvesnow

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