Timberwolves aim to stay hot with strong effort vs. Kings

Sat Dec 13 11:18pm ET
Field Level Media

The Minnesota Timberwolves will look to follow up what head coach Chris Finch deemed a "really good character win" when they host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves recorded their sixth victory in seven outings Friday by overcoming the absences of three-time All-Star Anthony Edwards and backcourt mate Mike Conley in a 127-120 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Rudy Gobert made all six of his shots from the floor in the fourth quarter and finished 11-for-13 from the floor to highlight his 24-point, 14-rebound performance.

"Rudy was huge. ... He finished extremely well, strong, a bunch of dunks," Finch said. "Played great through all the contact there. He was outstanding defensively in everything we did; switched with them, chased with them. It was one of his best defensive efforts of the season, for sure."

Julius Randle recorded 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and Donte DiVincenzo added 21, six and four, respectively.

"Tonight, we just settled down at the right time, trusting one another," said DiVincenzo, who made a pair of key 3-pointers and two free throws with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

"We made big plays. When we stay together, we stay composed, it doesn't matter who we have on the floor."

In addition to the absences of Edwards (right foot soreness) and Conley (right Achilles tendinopathy), the Wolves also lost Bones Hyland to a right knee contusion just 4 1/2 minutes into his 11th career start and first of the season.

Edwards and Conley have been ruled out of Sunday's game, although Hyland will be available.

Edwards eclipsed his team-best average of 28.7 points per game in two of the three meetings against Sacramento this season. Edwards had 30 points in a 124-110 victory over the Kings on Nov. 14 and erupted for 43 points on 16-for-29 shooting in a 117-112 overtime setback in Sacramento on Nov. 24.

The Kings responded to the latter contest by losing six of their last seven games, including a 136-105 decision to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

"It felt like an energy thing, and, notoriously, when you go out on a long road trip and you come back, the first game, the energy is just kind of weird sometimes," Sacramento coach Doug Christie said. "Tonight, the energy just wasn't there. The vibe with the energy just wasn't there."

Malik Monk scored 18 points off the bench and Russell Westbrook added 17 for the undermanned Kings, who are missing starters Zach LaVine (thumb soreness) and Domantas Sabonis (left knee), as well as backup point guard Dennis Schroder (hip).

Nique Clifford mustered just two points on 1-of-8 shooting (0-of-6 from 3-point range) while starting in place of LaVine on Thursday. Rookie Maxime Raynaud fared significantly better in place of Sabonis, collecting 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

DeMar DeRozan is averaging 17.7 points across 25 starts for Sacramento this season.


SAC LogoSacramento Kings
MIN LogoMinnesota Timberwolves

Sun Dec 14 6:00pm CT


Donte DiVincenzo, MIN29.4 Fantasy Points29.4Fantasy Points
15.5 Points15.5Points
4.5 Assists4.5Assists
3.5 3-pt Made3.53-pt Made
23.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts23.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
19.5 Pts+Asts19.5Pts+Asts
19.5 Pts+Rebs19.5Pts+Rebs
8.5 Rebs+Asts8.5Rebs+Asts
Terrence Shannon Jr., MIN8.5 Points8.5Points
10.5 Pts+Rebs10.5Pts+Rebs
Julius Randle, MIN44.9 Fantasy Points44.9Fantasy Points
25.5 Points25.5Points
5.5 Assists5.5Assists
7.5 Rebounds7.5Rebounds
39.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts39.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
31.5 Pts+Asts31.5Pts+Asts
32.5 Pts+Rebs32.5Pts+Rebs
13.5 Rebs+Asts13.5Rebs+Asts
Jaden McDaniels, MIN31.2 Fantasy Points31.2Fantasy Points
17.5 Points17.5Points
5.5 Rebounds5.5Rebounds
25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts25.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
20.5 Pts+Asts20.5Pts+Asts
23.5 Pts+Rebs23.5Pts+Rebs
8.5 Rebs+Asts8.5Rebs+Asts
Rudy Gobert, MIN31.4 Fantasy Points31.4Fantasy Points
12.5 Points12.5Points
11.5 Rebounds11.5Rebounds
25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts25.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
14.5 Pts+Asts14.5Pts+Asts
24.5 Pts+Rebs24.5Pts+Rebs
12.5 Rebs+Asts12.5Rebs+Asts
Naz Reid, MIN32.3 Fantasy Points32.3Fantasy Points
17.5 Points17.5Points
6.5 Rebounds6.5Rebounds
2.5 3-pt Made2.53-pt Made
26.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts26.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
19.5 Pts+Asts19.5Pts+Asts
23.5 Pts+Rebs23.5Pts+Rebs
9.5 Rebs+Asts9.5Rebs+Asts
Russell Westbrook, SAC31.1 Fantasy Points31.1Fantasy Points
12.5 Points12.5Points
6.5 Assists6.5Assists
6.5 Rebounds6.5Rebounds
25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts25.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
19.5 Pts+Asts19.5Pts+Asts
18.5 Pts+Rebs18.5Pts+Rebs
13.5 Rebs+Asts13.5Rebs+Asts
DeMar DeRozan, SAC28.3 Fantasy Points28.3Fantasy Points
17.5 Points17.5Points
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
24.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts24.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
20.5 Pts+Asts20.5Pts+Asts
21.5 Pts+Rebs21.5Pts+Rebs
6.5 Rebs+Asts6.5Rebs+Asts
Zach LaVine, SAC28.3 Fantasy Points28.3Fantasy Points
19.5 Points19.5Points
2.5 3-pt Made2.53-pt Made
25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts25.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
22.5 Pts+Asts22.5Pts+Asts
22.5 Pts+Rebs22.5Pts+Rebs
5.5 Rebs+Asts5.5Rebs+Asts
Malik Monk, SAC11.5 Points11.5Points
16.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts16.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
14.5 Pts+Asts14.5Pts+Asts
13.5 Pts+Rebs13.5Pts+Rebs
4.5 Rebs+Asts4.5Rebs+Asts
Keegan Murray, SAC28.5 Fantasy Points28.5Fantasy Points
14.5 Points14.5Points
6.5 Rebounds6.5Rebounds
21.5 Pts+Rebs21.5Pts+Rebs

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