2 weeks Ago
Just when it seemed like a night might go right for the Timberwolves, they blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead Wednesday in a 115-104 loss to the Kings. Sacramento erased a 12-point Wolves lead in a flash during the fourth quarter against a porous Wolves defense. Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox handled the scoring down the stretch for the Kings, who dealt the Wolves their fourth consecutive loss.
The Wolves outscored the Kings 29-12 in the third quarter and built on that early in the fourth for a 98-86 lead with just over seven minutes left. But Monk (27 points) caught fire for Sacramento with seven straight points to erase that lead, making it 102-102 with 3:41 to play. Sacramento scored eight of next 10 points.
Anthony Edwards (29 points) started strong for the Wolves (5-for-6 in the first quarter) but was just 4-for-14 the rest of the game. Fox finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Mike Conley returned to the lineup after a three-game absence and had 16 points.
How it happened Edwards came out providing most of the offense early for the Wolves as he had 14 of their first 22 points on the strength of four threes. The Wolves had a 22-17 lead before Rudy Gobert checked out at the 3:46 mark. In the three minutes he sat, the Wolves allowed 11 points and the Kings tied the score 28-28.
Isaac Jones had eight off the bench in the first quarter for Sacramento, which led in paint points 22-10 in the quarter. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Edwards were a combined 7-for-7 from three-point range to start the game; the rest of the team was 0-for-6. The Wolves got in more trouble from a defensive standpoint in the second quarter as both Jaden McDaniels and Alexander-Walker picked up three fouls.
Sacramento went on a 12-2 run for a 49-41 lead that prompted a Chris Finch timeout with 6:55 to play. The Wolves went nearly six minutes between made field goals and committed a number of ugly-looking, preventable turnovers. If not for 24 first-half points from Edwards, the Wolves would’ve been down worse than 69-57 at the half.
A pair of threes from Conley helped the Wolves chip away at the Kings’ lead in the third, and the team got a break when Domantas Sabonis picked up his fifth foul with 5:36 left in the third. The Wolves took a 78-77 lead on a Julius Randle bucket with 2:44 to play. The Wolves continued to pour it on from there with one of their best stretches of play in a while.
They were blocking shots, hustling on the defensive end of the floor and hitting open shots. They led 86-81 entering the fourth quarter. Player of the game Monk saved his best for the fourth quarter and scored 11 of his 27 points then.
Stat of the game 64-36 : Kings’ advantage in points in the paint..
