Hampered by injuries all season, Houston (30-20) hasn't yet put together a stretch of consistently good basketball at both ends of the court.

Though the Rockets know they're still a work in progress, they had to be surprised with their 104-93 loss to Memphis on Wednesday night.

They allowed the last-place Grizzlies to shoot 53.3 percent from the field while connecting on only 39.8 percent of their own shots. Rockets players were especially frustrated with a 48-32 deficit in points in the paint, calling it the best indicator of their poor defensive showing.

"That's what really hurt us," Yao said. "Every basketball player knows how important paint-scoring is. We ended up giving them too much."

Rockets guard Tracy McGrady had some harsh words for his team after the game.

"I think there is something wrong," he told the Rockets' official Web site. "... We can't do it in spurts. We have to be consistent. That's what I mean. In order for us to be a great team in this league, that is what it is going to take. Right now, we are not putting it together."

To bounce back, the Rockets may have to stop one of the top interior scorers in the NBA this season in Jefferson. Minnesota (17-31) ranks among the league leaders with 44.0 points in the paint per game, and the bulk of that scoring is done by the Wolves' 6-foot-10 center.

Jefferson, averaging a career-high 22.8 points, has recorded a double-double in six of his last seven games against Houston, and is averaging 29.3 points and 13.0 rebounds over his last three. He had 34 points and 13 boards in the teams' first meeting this season, a 109-102 Rockets' win in Minneapolis on Dec. 20.

Minnesota outscored Houston 52-32 in the paint in that game, but the Rockets connected on 12 of their 23 3-point attempts to pull out their fifth straight win against the Wolves.

To prevent Jefferson from doing so much damage against them again, the Rockets might want to duplicate the defense that Atlanta used against Minnesota on Wednesday night. Jefferson was held to 18 points and 7-for-17 shooting in the 94-86 loss.

The Timberwolves, who shot 36.4 percent, still got 44 points in the paint in large part because they had 19 offensive rebounds. But the Hawks' zone defense that fronted Jefferson frustrated them all night.

Wolves coach Kevin McHale wasn't as concerned with his team's missed shots as he was with the lack of ball movement against the zone.

"I don't even have the heart to watch that film tonight, otherwise I won't sleep all night," McHale said after the game. "I'll watch it tomorrow."

McHale has to be somewhat encouraged, however, by the emergence of Kevin Love. The rookie forward had 16 points and 14 rebounds in his first start in two months Wednesday, and is averaging 13.6 points and 10.0 boards while shooting 59.7 percent from the field over his last nine games.