Kings, Wolves each looking to break losing streak

Nov 27, 2024, 7:32 AM

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings driving to the basket is...

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

BY FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

Sactown Sports

The Sacramento Kings are eager to snap an early-season losing streak.

Then again, so are the Minnesota Timberwolves

One of the teams will get their way when the Timberwolves host the Kings on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves have lost three straight games, including a 117-111 overtime defeat at home against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Anthony Edwards had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but his bank shot rimmed out, and the Rockets prevailed by outscoring the Timberwolves 15-9 in the extra session.

The Kings also are aiming for a victory after losing their past four games. Their latest setback was 130-109 at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

Kings guard Malik Monk said he and his teammates likely would have a meeting before they face the Timberwolves.

“We’re going to say something,” Monk said. “I feel like we always say something after every loss, so … we’ll probably say something when we get to Minnesota.”

The Timberwolves are talking about how to break out of a disappointing start. They reached the Western Conference final last season but have lost nine of 17 games to begin the 2024-25 campaign.

A toe injury to veteran point guard Mike Conley has tested the Timberwolves.

Rookie Rob Dillingham earned praise for his effort to fill Conley’s void on Tuesday night. Dillingham finished with 12 points and seven assists off the bench.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Dillingham’s speed helps to set him apart.

“He’s giving us a lot right now with his ability to get by people,” Finch said. “… He plays with a ton of confidence, and he plays hard on defense.”

Overall, Finch said he wants to see a better effort from his players on the second night of a back-to-back set at home.

“I didn’t really like our effort and energy in the first half,” he said after the loss to the Rockets. “Found it in the second half, but we kept giving it back … trying to do too much by ourselves with the ball offensively.”

DeMar DeRozan will look to stay hot for the Kings after scoring a team-high 30 points on 13-for-21 shooting against Oklahoma City. DeRozan is averaging 22.6 points per game this season while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from 3-point range.

De’Aaron Fox leads Sacramento with an average of 28.1 points per game on 50.4 percent shooting overall. Domantas Sabonis is averaging a double-double with 20 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, and Keegan Murray is scoring 13.2 points per game.

Edwards paces the Timberwolves with an average of 28 points through 17 games. He scored 29 on Tuesday night as he shot 8 of 22 from the field overall, 3 of 12 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line.

This will be the third of four meetings between Minnesota and Sacramento during the regular season. The Timberwolves won 117-115 on the road Oct. 24 and 130-126 in overtime, again on the road, on Nov. 15.

–Field Level Media

More on the Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have dealt with several injuries during the early stages of the regular season, and with Trey Lyles’ status currently unclear, general manager Monte McNair has reportedly made a move to shore up the team’s forward depth.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Kings are nearing an agreement with free agent forward and longtime NBA veteran Jae Crowder.

Crowder, 34, played 50 games with the Milwaukee Bucks last season, where he averaged 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 steals on 42.2 percent from the field, 34.9 percent from three, and 72.2 percent on free throws.