Timberwolves 92, Rockets 79: Chris Johnson and Mickeal Gelabale, who were not in the league 24 hours ago, combined for Minnesota's first 23 points of the fourth quarter as the host Timberwolves snapped a five-game losing streak.

Andrei Kirilenko had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Luke Ridnour scored 16 points to help shorthanded Minnesota send Houston to its seventh consecutive defeat.

James Harden struggled through another rough shooting night en route to a team-high 18 points for the Rockets, who dropped back to the .500 mark.

A rash of injuries forced the Timberwolves to sign Johnson (15 points) and Gelebale (11) to 10-day contracts Saturday morning, and the duo took over with the game on the line. Johnson, who was playing in the NBA Development League, scored eight straight points to extend a four-point, third-quarter lead to 71-62 with 9:18 to play.

Gelabale, a member of the French national team at the London Olympics, then scored 10 of the next 11 points to help the Rockets build an 82-72 advantage with 5:13 left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Timberwolves F Dante Cunningham was a late scratch, leaving the team with only nine players after rookie G Alexey Shved (ankle) and C Nikola Pekovic (thigh) both were hurt in Thursday's game. Pekovic will miss at least a week. ... Harden connected on 5 of 18 shots and is 15-of-60 in his last three games for Houston, which has trailed by double digits in the first half in six straight contests. ... Derrick Williams and J.J. Barea each scored 11 points for the Timberwolves.