Minneapolis, MN (My Sportsbook) - The Minnesota Timberwolves try for their third straight win this evening when they open a three-game homestand against the Houston Rockets at the Target Center.

On Monday, Kevin Garnett scored 27 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and dished out seven assists, as Minnesota defeated the Boston Celtics 116-95.

Sam Cassell scored 27 points and had nine assists for the Timberwolves, who won for the fifth straight time on the road and for the fifth time in six games overall.

Minnesota, which set a franchise record with 33 home victories last season and won 17 consecutive games at one point, have struggled on its floor this season at just 4-5.

Houston, meanwhile, will be trying to halt a two-game skid after dropping the second leg of its home-and-home series with the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, 86-73.

Steve Francis scored 17 points and handed out five assists for the Rockets, while Yao Ming, who was held to just two points in the second half, grabbed nine rebounds and finished with 11 points.

Houston, which had won four straight prior to the home-and-home sweep, managed just eight points in the first quarter on 2-of-13 shooting and never recovered.

It was the second straight game the Rockets were held to eight points in a quarter by the Spurs. On Thursday, it was the second period in a game that set a modern-day NBA record low for scoring in a first half (55).

Houston is 26th in the league in scoring at 86.6 points per game and is 1-5 when they score fewer than 80 points.

The Rockets will close out a three-game road trip on Wednesday in Cleveland and are 5-7 away from home this season.

Minnesota has won 10 of its last 16 meetings with Houston and could have the upper hand tonight, as the home team in this series has won six of the last seven matchups. The Rockets have also dropped two straight and three of their last four in Minnesota.