With the Houston Rockets losing their third game of Summer League in Las Vegas, it’s unlikely they’ll make the playoffs, as most teams that make it are undefeated. So, the Rockets look to have a strong fourth contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a guaranteed fifth game coming this weekend.

Houston fell to 2-2 in Las Vegas with a final game to be scheduled for this weekend, falling 93-83 to the Timberwolves. They’re essentially eliminated from playoff contention, but improvement from young guys is key for the Rockets.

The Rockets got off to a slow first quarter start, posting just 16 points in contrast to the Timberwolves’ 29-point first quarter fueled by a strong start from Leonard Miller.

The Rockets’ offense got going through the second quarter, with Reed Sheppard knocking down three straight shots to end the half. They still trailed 46-39, though they began to erase a disastrous start to the game.

Heading into the third quarter trailing by seven points, it was going to be a decisive frame for Houston. They won the quarter once again, cutting their deficit to just four points. In their most recent loss, they struggled mightily in the final frame, which they now had a chance to recover from.

The Rockets couldn’t quite close the gap in the fourth, though, being unable to gain the ground needed to square the game up or make a late-game push. Sheppard turned things around after a slow start, though. While he was unable to convert a 3-pointer, he scored 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting. He outmatched his former Kentucky teammate Rob Dillingham, who scored 15 points on 6-of-21 shooting for the Timberwolves.

AJ Griffin added 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, converting on two of his five 3-pointers attempted. As a team, Houston shot 6-of-23 from deep, a recipe for loss as their offense was unable to fully get going because of it.

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