MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves have hit their lowest point in 14 years.

Tracy McGrady scored 23 points and the Houston Rockets made 12 3-pointers to hand the Timberwolves their 12th straight loss, 109-102 tonight.

Aaron Brooks had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who have won three in a row and seven of their last nine.

Giving up 8 inches and 55 pounds to Yao Ming in the post, Jefferson turned it into a mismatch in Minnesota's favor with 34 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. But it wasn't enough to stop a losing streak that matched the franchise's longest skid since a 12-gamer at the end of the 1993-94 season.

Randy Foye hit two 3-pointers in the final minute to pull Minnesota (4-22) to 105-102, but the Timberwolves couldn't get a stop when they needed one most. Houston shot 53 percent for the game.

Yao came right back with a leaner just outside the paint over Jefferson to pad the lead. Yao finished with 18 points, but was pushed around by Jefferson for most of the game.

On two occasions, Jefferson put his shoulder into Yao's chest, then dunked right in the 7-foot-6 center's face to try and infuse his downtrodden team with some energy.

When Yao rested, Jefferson was even more imposing. He scored eight straight against the overmatched Chuck Hayes on the low block, the last an alley-oop from Craig Smith that cut an 18-point Houston lead to five points at 84-79 with 8 minutes to play.

But the Rockets responded with 3-pointers on three straight possessions — two by Brooks and one by Ron Artest — to keep the Wolves at arm's length.

Minnesota's chances took a serious blow in the first quarter, when sharpshooter Mike Miller went down with a sprained right ankle, the same injury that caused him to miss four games at the start of the month.

For a team shooting a league-worst 43 percent to start the night, losing their best perimeter shooter in the first six minutes of the game proved too much to overcome.

For the hearty few who braved a winter storm in hopes of seeing the streak come to an end — including Santa and Mrs. Claus sitting courtside — saw a familiar scene play out. Their team missed open shot after open shot on the offensive end, then allowed too many easy looks on defense as the slide continued.

Foye finished with 24 points and six assists and Rashad McCants had 16 for Minnesota.