Timberwolves Stun Rockets 117-107 Behind 35-23 Fourth Quarter in Houston

HOUSTON — The Minnesota Timberwolves stunned the Houston Rockets 117-107 on Wednesday night at Toyota Center, turning a two-point deficit entering the fourth quarter into a ten-point road win with a dominant 35-23 final period. Houston led 84-82 with one quarter to play, but Minnesota took control down the stretch, handing the Rockets their first home loss of the season and improving to 6-3, while Houston fell to 7-2.

Key Points

• Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Houston Rockets 117-107 on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Toyota Center in Houston.
• Houston led 84-82 entering the fourth quarter, but Minnesota won the final quarter 35-23 to seal the road win.
• Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 21 points and 6 assists on 10-of-20 shooting, and LaMelo Ball scored 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter.
• Kevin Durant led Houston with 21 points, and Alperen Sengun posted 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
• The win came without Anthony Edwards, who is out after knee surgery, and ended Houston's perfect 4-0 start at home.

What Happened

For three quarters, this looked like a game Houston would win. The Rockets, who entered 7-1 overall and 4-0 at home, led 84-82 at Toyota Center, and the home crowd had every reason to expect another successful night. Instead, the final twelve minutes belonged to Minnesota.

Minnesota outscored Houston 35-23 in the fourth quarter, turning a two-point deficit into a 117-107 victory. The Timberwolves found scoring from more than one source, defended well enough to keep Houston from answering, and never allowed the Rockets a run of their own in the closing minutes.

Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 21 points and 6 assists on 10-of-20 shooting. Alongside him, LaMelo Ball scored 20 points, and his fourth quarter was decisive: Ball scored 12 points in the final period alone, shooting a perfect 4-of-4, as Minnesota pulled away when the game was there to be won.

Houston was led by Kevin Durant with 21 points, while Alperen Sengun recorded a triple-double of 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Even that all-round line could not prevent the fourth-quarter slide, as Minnesota's late surge proved too much for the unbeaten home side.

There was also a flashpoint earlier in the game. Jonathan Kuminga was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul in the second quarter for elbowing Sengun in the face on a rebound play, a moment that added edge to an already physical contest before the fourth quarter decided it.

Background and Context

Context made this result more striking. Houston arrived as one of the early-season form teams, at 7-1 and yet to lose at home. Teams that protect home court that well are difficult to beat, and Houston's start had suggested another long night for a visiting side.

Minnesota, meanwhile, arrived without its biggest star. Anthony Edwards is out after knee surgery, and any team missing a player of his standing must find scoring and leadership elsewhere. That the Timberwolves did so on the road, against a 7-1 team, says a great deal about the depth and belief in the current group.

The standings underline the scale of the win. Minnesota improved to 6-3, a strong position without Edwards, while Houston dropped to 7-2. Houston remains near the top of the West, but its perfect home record is gone.

Timberwolves Rockets 117-107: The Fourth Quarter That Decided It

The fourth quarter is where this game will be remembered, and the numbers explain why. Trailing 84-82, Minnesota scored 35 points in the final period while holding Houston to 23, a 12-point swing in a single quarter that turned a tight contest into a comfortable margin by the final buzzer.

Ball's fourth quarter stood out within that run. Scoring 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the final period is the definition of closing a game, and it came at exactly the moment Minnesota needed someone to take control.

Houston, for its part, could not find a response. Durant's 21 points and Sengun's triple-double kept the Rockets competitive for three quarters, but the fourth quarter belonged to the visitors, and once Minnesota built its lead, Houston never managed the run needed to threaten it again.

Reactions and What the Result Means

No post-game quotes were included in the reporting of this game, so the clearest reaction is written in the numbers themselves: a road team, without its star, outscoring a 7-1 home side by twelve points in the final quarter. That is not a lucky finish; it is a team executing when the game tightens.

For Minnesota, the meaning is straightforward. Winning without Edwards, on the road, against an unbeaten home team, shows a group that can adapt and share responsibility. Dosunmu leading the scoring, Ball closing the game, and a collective fourth-quarter effort all point to a team finding different ways to win.

For Houston, the defeat is a first home setback rather than a crisis. At 7-2, the Rockets remain one of the league's early pacesetters, but the fourth quarter will be the part coaches revisit: a two-point lead at home became a ten-point defeat.

Why It Matters

Early-season results like this matter because they shape confidence and standings at the same time. Minnesota's win moves the Timberwolves to 6-3 and proves they can win a big road game without Edwards, which matters enormously while he recovers from knee surgery. Teams that survive a star's absence often emerge stronger when he returns.

For Houston, the first home loss matters for a different reason. Home court is a genuine advantage in the NBA, and protecting it is part of building a top seeding. Losing that perfect home record does not undo a 7-2 start, but it does show opponents that Houston can be beaten in its own building, and future visitors will take belief from Minnesota's fourth-quarter performance.

What Happens Next

Minnesota will look to build on this road win and keep its momentum going while Edwards remains out after knee surgery. The template from Houston is clear: shared scoring, composure in close games, and a fourth-quarter effort that can close out strong opposition on the road.

Houston, now 7-2, will want a swift response in its next outing, particularly at home, where it will aim to start a new unbeaten run and show that Wednesday's fourth quarter was an exception rather than a pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score? Minnesota Timberwolves 117, Houston Rockets 107, on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Toyota Center in Houston.

Who led Minnesota in scoring? Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with 21 points and 6 assists on 10-of-20 shooting.

How did Minnesota win the game? Houston led 84-82 entering the fourth quarter, but Minnesota won the final quarter 35-23, with LaMelo Ball scoring 12 fourth-quarter points on 4-of-4 shooting.

What were the records after the game? Minnesota improved to 6-3, while Houston fell to 7-2, suffering its first home loss of the season after a 4-0 start at home.

Was Anthony Edwards playing? No. Minnesota won without Anthony Edwards, who is out after knee surgery.

For more NBA coverage, see our reports on Nikola Jokic's triple-double against the Raptors and Houston's win over Boston that took the Rockets to 7-1.