Game thread: Rockets vs. Timberwolves - Game 3

Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, Apr. 21, 2018, 7:30 p.m. CDT

Rockets lead 2-0

Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

TV: ESPN

Radio: KBME 790 AM/KEYH 850 AM (Spanish)/KNTE 101.7 FM (Spanish)/Streaming on Rockets App

Online: Rockets App

Timberwolves SBNation Blog: Canis Hoopus

5,075.

That’s the number of days since the last playoff game at Target Center in Minneapolis. The Wolves have not been to the playoffs since 2004, and it’s been a long 14-year struggle to get back to the place they have desired.

The last time the Wolves were in the playoffs, Drake was still on ‘Degrassi,’ before his character was shot and put in a wheelchair. ‘The Office’ was still eleven months away from its premiere, ‘Dodgeball’ was still a month away from coming out in theaters, and President of the United States George W. Bush was running for re-election against John Kerry.

I have hundreds of these, but what is important is the here and now and what is in front of the Rockets.

With a win tonight, the Rockets would go up 3-0 and it would put them in very good company. Nobody has ever won a seven-game series down 3-0 in NBA history, so the Rockets would be one win away from advancing to the second round.

However, tonight, the Wolves have a home crowd hungry for playoff basketball. Most of the kids going to this game don’t know a world where Wolves’ playoff basketball exists, so the Target Center will be just like any Target, loud, annoying, and you can’t wait to leave.

But hopefully the Rockets can get two wins before checking out of Minnesota.

Tonight, the biggest change is that the Rockets will have Ryan Anderson available for the first time this series, according to Brian Smith. He’s averaged 17.5 PPG in his two games in Minnesota this season, a huge increase from his 9.9 PPG season-long average.

Check out AK’s preview before tipoff and head to Facebook Live at halftime for the TDS Halftime Report.

Go Rockets!