MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Chris Johnson arrived in Minnesota on Friday night just hoping to provide a little bit of energy and make a solid impression in his latest effort to catch on with an NBA team.
About 24 hours later, he was hearing chants of ''M-V-P! M-V-P!'' and teaming with another new face to carry the Timberwolves to a much-needed victory.
Johnson and Mickael Gelabale signed 10-day contracts on Saturday morning, then scored the first 23 points of the fourth quarter to lift the Timberwolves to a 92-79 victory over the slumping Houston Rockets on Saturday night.
Johnson, signed from Santa Cruz of the NBA Development League, scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth. Gelabale, a forward who arrived from France on Thursday, had 10 of his 11 points in the final 12 minutes to help the injury-plagued Wolves snap a five-game skid.
''I don't think I drew it up that way,'' Johnson said with a big smile.
Neither did the Rockets, who were caught totally flat-footed by a pair of unknown players who showed more heart and hustle in 12 minutes than the entire Houston team has in about two weeks.
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