Das Feller-Forum » deals with a pair of 24-year-old hitters

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets were trailing Minnesota by 10 points early in the second quarter on Thursday night when a very unhappy Kevin McHale called a timeout hoping to help his team get on track. James Harden wasnt worried and told his coach as much. "He was fired up but I told him: Its OK. Were going to be all right," Harden said. And they were. Houston scored 17 straight points after that timeout, led by 10 from Harden, to take the lead and roll to an easy 129-106 win. "We werent playing very well," McHale said. "So I got into them a little bit and they responded." Harden had 28 points with eight assists, Donatas Motiejunas added a career-best 20 points and Chandler Parsons had 19 points for Houston. Houston never trailed after the 17-0 run and padded the advantage with another big run to start the third quarter. It was Houstons second straight game without Dwight Howard, who sat out with a strained left ankle. Omer Asik started in his place and filled in ably with a season-high-tying 12 points as the Rockets won for the seventh time in 10 games. "Obviously we want Dwight back as soon as possible," Parsons said. "But Omer is so good you dont miss much out there on the floor ... we have a real luxury having both of those guys down there." Kevin Love had 29 points and rookie Gorgui Dieng 22 points and 21 rebounds, which were both career-highs. He has had a double-double in each of his three starts, which have come in the last three games. "In the first quarter we came out pretty good," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said. "Then they had that run on us and it really wasnt a game from that point on. We werent scoring at all and we werent getting back and they seemed to have their way." Ricky Rubio had five points, eight assists and two rebounds for Minnesota a night after posting his third career triple-double with 22 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in a 123-122 overtime win at Dallas. "We came off an overtime game and we just didnt seem to have energy," Love said. "These are the dog days where youre trying to give everything youve got and sometimes its just not good enough." Houston led by 10 at halftime and opened the third quarter with a 16-7 spurt to extend the lead to 80-61 with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. Harden, who finished with six 3s, and Patrick Beverley both made 3-pointers during that run and Asik had seven points with a pair of dunks. Love hit a 3-pointer after that before Terrence Jones made four quick points to push the lead to 84-64. Luc Mbah a Moute went up for a dunk later in the quarter, but it was blocked by Asik, drawing oohs from the crowd when it happened live and again when it was replayed on the jumbotron. Asik finished with four blocks. Houston was up by 21 soon after that when the Timberwolves cut into the lead with an 8-0 run thanks to two 3-pointers by Love to make it 89-76. The Rockets led by 98-82 entering the fourth quarter. Jones had 10 points and Beverley had 14 as all five Rockets starters scored in double digits. "When we move the basketball like that, everyone is going to score," Harden said. "It gives each and every guy confidence to make that right pass and to shoot the basketball. So, when we play like that, its tough to beat us." The lead was 16 midway through the fourth quarter when the Rockets went on another run -- this one 8-3 -- to make it 118-97. Harden scored the last five points in that span before sitting down for the night. Minnesota got within five points late in the second quarter, but the Rockets used a 9-4 run, capped by another 3 from Harden, to end the half up 64-54. NOTES: Minnesota C Nikola Pekovic didnt play for the third straight game because of a sore right ankle. ... 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PAUL, Minn.ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves and shortstop Andrelton Simmons agreed on a $58 million, seven-year contract on Thursday, a record deal for the latest young star locked up by the NL East champions. The deal, which runs through the 2020 season, is the largest ever awarded to a player subject to American draft rules with less than two years of service time. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo signed a $41 million, seven-year contract last May. Simmons, 24, showed power potential in 2013, when he hit 17 home runs, but he earned the big contract with his defence. He won his first Gold Glove award in 2013, when he led the major leagues with 499 assists. "We feel that Andrelton is one of the premier shortstops in the game today, and we are happy that we were able to agree on this multiyear contract," general manager Frank Wren said in a statement released by the team. The Braves this month also reached multiyear agreements with first baseman Freddie Freeman, outfielder Jason Heyward, closer Craig Kimbrel and right-hander Julio Teheran, committing $280.7 million to the rising stars, including Simmons. Simmons hit .248 and drove in 59 runs last season. He earned the new contract after playing in only 206 career games. Simmons received a $1 million signing bonus and will earn $1 million this season. He will earn $3 million in 2015, $6 million in 2016, $8 million in 2017, $11 million in 2018, $13 million in 20119 and $15 million in 2020.dddddddddddd It has been a busy month for the Braves and Wren. On Sunday, the team agreed to a $42 million, four-year contract with Kimbrel, 25, the All-Star closer. That came two days after the 23-year-old Teheran agreed to terms on a six-year, $32.4 million deal. Earlier this month, the Braves announced multiyear deals with a pair of 24-year-old hitters — Freeman and Heyward. Freeman, the All-Star first baseman, agreed to the biggest contract in Braves history — $135 million for eight years. Of all the new deals, only Heywards is for fewer than four years. Heyward, the outfielder who won his first Gold Glove in 2012, signed for two years and $13.3 million. Even management has been included in the wave of new deals. Manager Fredi Gonzalez and Wren also have been given contract extensions. Simmons ranks with Freeman, Kimbrel, Teheran, Heyward, Justin Upton, left-hander Mike Minor and others as the foundation for the Braves future. Chipper Jones retired after the 2012 season, and Tim Hudson and catcher Brian McCann departed as free agents after last season, leaving the team that won 96 games last year with a young roster. Simmons hit only .216 against left-handers last season, and he hit only .219 in 283 at-bats as a leadoff hitter. The team took off when Heyward was moved to the leadoff spot, and Simmons was more productive in other spots in the lineup. ' ' '