MINNEAPOLIS _ Before Houston's game with the Timberwolves Saturday, Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni was informed that the all-time Target Center record for 3-pointers attempted in a game was 40.
He laughed.
"Is that (just) first half?" he joked.
This was no joke.
Up 17 early in the third quarter, up 12 after Karl-Anthony Towns scored with 2:19 left in regulation, the Wolves stopped playing the defense that had gotten them that far, allowing the Rockets to finish regulation on a 3-pointer-fueled 14-2 run. Then James Harden scored his team's first seven points in overtime to lead the Rockets _ playing their fourth game in six nights _ to a 111-109 victory.
For much of the game the Rockets, who had set NBA records with 3-pointers attempted (61) and made (24) while beating New Orleans on Friday, struggled with their shot.
Saturday they launched 51 more 3-pointers _ second most in league history _ making 17.
Harden, held in check much of the night, finished with 28 points and 13 assists. Ryan Anderson scored 28, hitting key 3s down the stretch Eric Gordon had 20.
Towns had 41 points with 15 rebounds, the second time this season he has scored 40 or more in a Wolves loss. Zach LaVine had 21, Andrew Wiggins had 13.
It was the 10th straight win for Houston (21-7). The Wolves (7-18) wasted a very good shot at their first winning streak of the season.
Up 17 with 9:31 left in the third quarter, the Wolves still led by 13 entering the fourth.
Then they started the fourth shooting 1-for-10 as Houston drew within eight.
With 4:41 left Gorgui Dieng kicked the ball out to Ricky Rubio, who hit a 3-pointer for an 87-76 lead. After a Rockets miss, Rubio fed Dieng for two and the lead was 13 with under 4 minutes left.
Patrick Beverley scored, but Wiggins followed with an 18-footer.
Then things got away from Minnesota.
Anderson hit a 3-pointer with 2:05 left to pull the Rockets within nine, then Towns was called for an offensive foul.
Gordon's layup with 56 seconds left made it a seven-point game. Then Rubio turned the ball over and Trevor Ariza hit a 3 with 38 seconds left and the lead was four. Towns hit two free throws with 36.8 left. But, left alone, Anderson's 3 with 33 seconds left cut the lead to three, then the Wolves missed two shots at the other end.
Finally, with 6.5 seconds left, out of a timeout, Trevor Ariza hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. Because the Wolves had no timeouts left, they couldn't inbound the ball at midcourt and were unable to get off a good shot, forcing overtime.
Down five, Towns scored. Moments later he hit two free throws with 1:45 left to make it a one-point game. After Nemanja Bjelica won a jump ball, the Wolves had the ball with a chance to retake the lead. But Wiggins turned the ball over, Gordon hit a 3, and the Wolves turned the ball over again.
At the other end, with 23.7 seconds left in the overtime, Harden calmly hit two free throws to ice what was perhaps the most difficult Wolves loss of the season.
It marked the eighth time this season the Wolves have lost a game in which they've led by at least 10 points. But, after playing well for the first 45 or so minutes of the game, the Wolves let one go in a flash Saturday.
