Timberwolves fall to Kings 118-111 in OT, win streak ends at 3
MINNEAPOLIS - With Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Minnesota Timberwolves need other players to rise to the occasion.
Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert did their part Monday night against the Sacramento Kings, but turnovers and missed free throws cost the Wolves in a 118-111 loss in overtime at Target Center, snapping a three-game win streak. Edwards had 33 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Gobert had 19 points and 14 rebounds.
The Timberwolves committed 18 turnovers and shot 13-of-25 at the free-throw line as they finished the month of January 11-5. Edwards declined comment after the loss, as several players were frustrated to let a winnable gam slip away.
"I'm gonna say the wrong thing tonight," Edwards said.
Despite big nights offensively, both Edwards and Gobert had turnovers at crucial times. Edwards finished with six for the game, and Gobert had three.
"We didn’t have a very clean or good performance. I thought we gave ourselves chances to win that game. I thought some old habits bit us in the ass tonight with the turnovers. Every time we were able to build momentum, I thought we shot ourselves in the foot with turnovers or bad shots," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after the loss.
Jaylen Nowell added 14 points off the bench. After Jaden McDaniels hit a 3-pointer with 13.5 seconds to play to force overtime, the Timberwolves got out-scored 15-8 in the extra session.
"At the end it was the battle of the least mistakes, we kind of made a lot," guard D'Angelo Russell said. "We’re going to turn the ball over at times, it’s just when we turn them over becomes real valuable. It was a little bit all over the place at a vital point in the game when we need to execute and everything needs to be as tight as possible."
The Kings got the win despite shooting just 9-of-30 from the perimeter. De’Aaron Fox was their star with 32 points, five rebounds and four assists. The game probably shouldn't have gone to overtime to begin with. The Timberwolves led 98-95 with two minutes to play. Fox made one of two free throws, the Wolves couldn't clear the rebound and Fox nailed a 3-pointer for a 99-98 Kings' lead.
"That game should’ve never went to overtime, we lose that game on a free throw rebound," Finch said. "Overtime was simply about guarding spread offense. We couldn’t do it, I’ve got to get different lineups out there that can do it. That’s on me for sure."
The Timberwolves are 27-26 on the season and were fifth in the Western Conference heading into the night, and dropped to ninth after the loss. Their seven-game home stand continues against the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night.