On December 28th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with a match between the Rockets and the Timberwolves at the Rockets' home court. The two teams started off with poor offensive form, with the Timberwolves taking some initiative, but in the second half, the Rockets began to dominate the game, building a 16-point lead at one point. However, the Timberwolves staged an incredible comeback with a 15-2 run. Ultimately, the Timberwolves defeated the Rockets 113-112.
In this game, both teams initially struggled offensively, with no significant point difference. The Timberwolves later found their rhythm, while the Rockets relied on Shen Jing's continuous scoring inside to keep up, trailing by 5 points at halftime. In the second half, the Timberwolves' shooting went cold, unable to keep up with the pace, while the Rockets seized the opportunity, taking control of the game with a 32-19 run in a single quarter, successfully reversing the situation and leading by 8 points after three quarters.
In the final quarter, the Rockets started with another 10-0 run, further widening the gap. It seemed as though the game would lose its suspense, but then the Timberwolves began their counterattack. In the closing stages of the game, the Timberwolves suddenly erupted, with Walker and Reid hitting consecutive threes, and Edwards completing a 2+1 play. An 18-4 run narrowed the gap to 2 points. Shen Jing made one of two free throws, Edwards hit a three-pointer to take the lead, and VanVleet missed a three-pointer, ending the game with the Rockets suffering a heartbreaking reversal, losing 112-113.
This result was somewhat unexpected, as the Rockets seemed to have victory within their grasp, only to collapse in the end. In the last three minutes, they were overwhelmed by a 15-2 run from their opponents, resulting in a loss. Shen Jing performed exceptionally well, going 16 for 25 and scoring a season-high 38 points, along with 12 rebounds, completely dominating the opposing best defensive player, Gobert. Unfortunately, he did not receive enough support; Green scored only 14 points, VanVleet 18 points, and Amen played well, contributing 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The Timberwolves completed an incredible comeback, suddenly finding their touch and hitting threes from outside. Edwards delivered the decisive blow, nailing a three-pointer for the buzzer-beater. Edwards scored 24 points on 9 for 17 shooting, while Randle hit 5 of 6 threes for 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, and DiVincenzo came off the bench to score 22 points on 6 for 10 from three. The Timberwolves shot 21 for 43 from beyond the arc, maintaining a hot hand throughout the game.