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Rockets clinch playoff spot in Dwight Howard's second game back

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / reuters

Everything is looking up for the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets clinched their third-consecutive playoff spot on Friday with a 120-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Dwight Howard's second game back following a 26-game absence.

Howard was limited - as he only played 20 minutes - but he was effective when he played. He finished with 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting, which included a handful of emphatic dunks. Howard tacked on four rebounds and two steals.

The Rockets were led, as usual, by James Harden. The sixth-year guard submitted yet another MVP-type performance, finishing with a game-high 33 points, four rebounds, eight assists and five steals in the win.

Still, despite six scorers in double-digits for the Rockets, the upstart Timberwolves refused to go away without a fight.

Leading the charge for Minnesota was Andrew Wiggins, who dropped 31 points against a tremendous defender in Trevor Ariza. Sharpshooter Chase Budinger was also a big contributor as he poured in 23 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting.

However, in a game without much defense, it was the Rockets' offense that managed to shine the brightest. The Rockets shot 53 percent from the field and connected on 20-of-44 3-point attempts.

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