Houston at Minnesota

Houston is playing up to its talent now, ripping San Antonio and Chicago the last two games. The turnaround on defense coincides with the healthy return of point guard Chris Paul, who sat out three games with leg soreness before returning on Friday and notching a double-double in back-to-back games. The Rockets have covered four of the last five against the Western Conference, plus they are 4-1 ATS on the road against a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Minnesota has a losing record and is ranked #17 in scoring, while the defense is #21 at defending the three-pointer. The Timberwolves come off a 118-109 loss at home to Boston. Houston knocked off Minnesota in five games in the first round of the playoffs last spring, and the Rockets are on a 7-2 ATS run against the Timberolves, including 15-7 ATS in this building. Play Houston.