NBA Final Score: Timberwolves 144, Kings 117
Edwards Leads Timberwolves' Dominant Win
Despite a slow start—missing all five of his initial shots—Anthony Edwards erupted for 26 points, overpowering the Kings. The Minnesota Timberwolves began their quick back-to-back road trip Sunday in Sacramento against the Kings, with each team coming off contrasting performances.
Teams' Previous Games
- The Timberwolves crushed the Utah Jazz by 40 points on Friday.
- The Kings were defeated by the Oklahoma City Thunder by 31 points in their last outing.
The question was whether either team could reset and change their fortunes within 48 hours.
Minnesota's Retro Look and Strong Defense
The Timberwolves wore their striking retro black “tree” jerseys, which Rudy Gobert honored with an impressive defensive display. Gobert started by blocking a jumper from Domantas Sabonis—who had just returned from a two-game absence—securing the loose ball and finishing with a coast-to-coast layup.
Gobert shot a perfect four-for-four from the floor and recorded three blocks in the opening quarter alone.
Early Contributions and Game Flow
Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle provided early scoring support, balancing the impact of Edwards' rocky start. Even so, Minnesota only held a narrow 31-25 lead partly due to Sacramento shooting six of eleven from three-point range.
However, Sacramento persisted with a heavy focus on isolation one-on-one plays.
"They only carried a small 31-25 lead because of Sacramento’s six for 11 three-point shooting mark. That last long though, as Sacramento continued to play a style of basketball that relied heavily on isolation one-on-one possessions."
Edwards' explosive rebound after a cold opening helped Minnesota secure a commanding victory.
Author's summary: Anthony Edwards overcame a poor start to lead the Timberwolves to a commanding win over the Kings, with Rudy Gobert's defense and Minnesota's balanced attack sealing the game.