TRACY MCGRADY scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and Luis Scola had 18 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in the Rockets’ 97-86 victory over Minnesota in Houston on Wednesday night.

“The fourth quarter, usually the best player has got to step up and lead the team,” McGrady said. “I just couldn’t afford for us to lose this game, so I had to impose my will on it.”

McGrady also had 11 rebounds and nine assists to help the Rockets keep pace in the tight Western Conference race.

McGrady, wearing a bandage on his left shoulder after spraining it late in Monday night’s win over Sacramento, was 4-for-15 from the field after three quarters. He made three straight jumpers in a 2-minute span in the last quarter as the Rockets opened a double-digit lead and finally put away the Timberwolves.

The Rockets outrebounded the Wolves 58-38 and scored 14 second-chance points to win for the 19th time in their last 21 home games.

Al Jefferson had 21 and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which had won four of its last six games.

“They beat us pretty good on the boards,” Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. “Our defense wasn’t bad, but we gave up too many second-chance baskets.”

The Rockets open a five-game road trip against San Antonio on Sunday. The teams had identical records (49-23) after wins Wednesday and both were one game behind New Orleans in the race for the No. 1 seed in the West.

McGrady aggravated his shoulder injury on a drive into Marko Jaric just before halftime. He winced as he walked to the free-throw line, but hit both shots to put the Rockets up 46-40.(SD-Agencies)