The Sacramento Kings will try to snap a four-game losing streak when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA Cup game Friday at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Zach LaVine is expected to return to the lineup after missing Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with a thigh bruise, but Domantas Sabonis (left ribcage contusion) and Malik Monk (left ankle soreness) are listed as questionable.
The Kings (3-9) are coming off a 133-100 loss to the Hawks. They went 1-4 with four blowout losses during their recent five-game homestand, including a 144-117 loss to Minnesota.
The Timberwolves (7-4) have won three in a row and five of their last six. They have been lighting up the scoreboard during their current winning streak, scoring 137 against the Utah Jazz on Nov. 7, 144 against the Kings on Sunday and 120 against the Jazz on Monday.
Here are three keys to Friday’s game.
Competitive spirit
Kings coach Doug Christie called out his team for failing to play with pride and a competitive spirit during an intense postgame press conference following Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks.
The same was true in Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves as Minnesota met little resistance in Sacramento. The Timberwolves shot 53.6% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range while outrebounding the Kings 31-24 and amassing a 64-46 advantage on points in the paint.
Rudy Gobert dominated inside, scoring 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting with 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Fastbreak points
Transition defense will be a big point of emphasis for the Kings.
Christie was deeply disappointed with his team’s effort to get back on defense in the loss to Atlanta. The Kings were outscored 33-8 on fastbreak points after getting outscored 32-20 by Minnesota.
“(That) just says that you’re not getting back, you’re not communicating, you’re not building walls, you’re not being physical,” Christie said. He went on to say that wouldn’t happen “if you don’t shoot bad shots, if you don’t shoot unbalanced floor shots and turn the ball over on live-ball turnovers.”
Return of the Zach
The Kings missed LaVine’s scoring and 3-point shooting in Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks.
LaVine is averaging 23.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc and 87% from the free-throw line on 4.6 attempts per game. He had 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range in the Nov. 9 game against Minnesota.
Kings at Timberwolves
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Target Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Timberwolves -12.5 Over/under: 240.5
Injury report Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Malik Monk (ankle); Domantas Sabonis (ribs).
OUT — Dylan Cardwell (G League); Keegan Murray (thumb); Daeqwon Plowden (G League); Isaiah Stevens (G League).
Timbewolves: Timberwolves: AVAILABLE — Donte DiVincenzo (face).
OUT — Enrique Freeman (G League); Terrence Shannon Jr. (foot); Rocco Zikarsky (G League).
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