Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves Recap and Reactions

Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves Recap and Reactions

What is up everybody how’s it going welcome into the sack toown Sports Kings recap Chris Watkins here as always the final touches of the setup ready here as the Sacramento Kings fall to the number one seated team in the Western Conference the Minnesota Timberwolves by a score of 98 to

110 uh the Kings made it close there for a second man oh man they had me believing that they were going to turn this into a game late uh late tonight you know they had the the nice little run I think it was a 21-6 run um 21-4

Run from the 721 Mark to the two-minute Mark in that fourth quarter they made a push they they tried to make this uh into a close game I think it got to as close as as five or four points uh after the little Trey L’s uh lob if you

Will um but yeah I mean you know it it was uh it was the Timberwolves night for for a good portion of tonight and uh it would have been a stolen Victory if the Kings would have uh been able to kind of steal that one at the end there um but

It feels like tonight we got the right result as the Timberwolves just kind of you know I mean they they just did kind of what they’ve done all year I mean they they made uh the Kings into a bad offense I mean the t-wolves of had the

Best defense pretty much all year long uh they’re number one right now in defensive rating by about three points uh from from the second closest team or the next closest team I should say uh they’re they’re by far the best defense in the NBA this year and you see the

Kings put together their second lowest to point total of the Season uh with 98 uh and that’s definitely a uh you know the the the cause is because uh that that Timberwolves defense is is absolutely Elite and last time we didn’t get to see Jade McDaniels with this

Timberwolves team tonight you saw him and and you saw the impact he had he had I think he finished with 18 points uh finished with 20 actually 20 points four Steals and a block that dude is uh I’m telling y’all at the end of this year

He’s going to be on one of the all NBA Defensive teams I would guess the first one um but he he’s going to at least make one of those teams uh he he is Elite he is a game changer he’s the exact kind of guy that

This Kings team needs um and and you know you see why on a night like tonight I mean his his shooting ability is really a plus but just the fact that they can throw him on just about anybody and uh cause fits is is huge and you know I think tonight you definitely

Realize how much the Kings need Malik monk uh not just for this season but but also for the future like Malik’s contracts up at the end of this year uh you know all indications so that the kings are going to make a heavy push to

Bring him back as they should but uh you know tonight might have earned Malik couple more million dollars because you you saw tonight they just kind of needed that extra burst that extra pop coming off the bench and it really never came uh the kings were were pretty much

Carried tonight for three quarters by deonis sabonis and dearon fox uh dearen I I tweeted it out um at the end of that third quarter sabonis and fox were uh 17 of 28 they shot 60% from the field everybody else was eight of 36

22% uh so it was a lot of dearen and a lot of domas and and Shout Out de man sabonis who I I kind of figured was going to have to have a big night tonight in order for the Kings to even have a chance he gets his I think third

Triple double uh consecutive triple double um he he was great tonight they weren’t afraid of that go bear matchup at all they were posting up sabonis which he usually doesn’t get straight up post up calls and and they were not afraid to just say hey sabonis go go to

Work on on Rudy go go down there and he I thought he did really well you know Rudy goar is obviously a monster human he’s 7374 uh and is the best shot Blocker in the NBA Simona’s had no fear and you saw him throw it down on him in this game uh

That’s probably the dunk of the season for domas and you had to know that felt good um you know because he’s he’s he’s heard it a lot this year about uh how you know some of these bigger lengthier centers have have given him fits and uh he that that dunk was definitely a

Statement so much show it even got our guy Kevin oconor to uh to tweet about it so shout out domas uh for that major major dunk let’s see here um let’s see Here um wow you guys are just really just just bricking it up in the comments right now not giving me anything to work with um let’s see here yeah I mean I I do really think that uh if the Kings had Malik tonight I I do believe that they

Probably you know I don’t want to say they win this game but um I I think it goes a whole lot different it just felt like the Kings needed somebody else to be able to create some offense and uh you know when it’s when it’s a lot of dear and

Domas then kind of lock in on it a bit uh Keegan got hot late it was good to see him hit some really really tough shots in that fourth quarter I was I was really impressed just with Keegan stepping up in those moments and being unafraid he had 10 points just in the

Fourth quarter uh and they were tough they were not easy shots they were fall ways they were coming off of curls uh he had one where Mike connley was dripped all over him in the corner still pulled up and and drained it uh I thought it

Was it’s a really big night for for Keegan’s development not not just tonight but just this stretch of games uh that we’re seeing from Keegan now really ever since this 47-point game it just seems like 20 is easy for him and uh by the way shout out Mike Brown for

For reading out our guy Frankie cardelli’s tweets uh in the pregame press conference uh no longer a true stat Keegan Murray heading into tonight the kings were 18- one or 17- one uh in games in which Keegan Murray scored 20 or more points Keegan scores 20 tonight

And they get the L so uh now out a two uh to that to that loss column uh or I guess make it a two not add to make it a two in that loss column for games in which Keegan scores 20 but I think that number is just indicative of of what

This team is when they have a third star um I I don’t even necessarily think it I would like to just see the number of what’s it look like when the Kings have three scores in general uh hit 20 plus because to me it’s more about just what

It means uh when they have that level of Firepower offens ly and and how hard it is to guard this team I think that’s when this team is at their best is when they have multiple guys three or more guys hitting on on on all cylinders you

Can’t really lock in on anybody and uh you know I think tonight Minnesota really in that especially in that fourth quarter was like Daren Fox is not going to beat us you know who is well aware that Daren Fox won clutch player of the year uh the Minnesota Timberwolves

Because darant got completely shut out in that fourth quarter after three amazing quarters he finishes off with 27 through three uh and ends the game with 27 he was ridiculous in the middle part of that game the second and third quarter I think I have written down here

In the second quarter he had 14 points and then in that third had seven um he was he was great I I thought Daren was was awesome tonight um of course he he didn’t really have it at the end of the game but you can’t expect him to to be

There every single game and again I thought Minnesota was kind of doing much like the Kings did frankly defensively where it’s anybody else but your star can beat us we’re okay with Trey lyes beating us we’re okay with Keegan Murray beating us um but they’re not they were

Not going to have dearen Fox beat them and the Kings really had a similar approach in that fourth quarter uh they said anybody but uh anybody but Anthony Edwards can beat us and and you saw that you saw them allow uh Mike Conley to take some open looks I think uh Kyle

Anderson had an open look I think Jaden McDaniels uh actually did convert a nice little layup at the end of that game um yeah but I I I did think this game was lost unfortunately down the stretch uh Trey L is not pulling that three and

Uh P trying to pass it AC crosscourt where Anthony Edwards got the steal and the dunk to to kind of make it from a I think it was a seven-point game at that time turned it into a nine-point game that’s just such a huge swing because

Obviously if Trey hits that three it’s a four-point game you’re a stop away from being a stop away and uh it it really kind of ended the game at that point with I think it was a minute and some change left uh so you know that’s that’s definitely one of those moments where

Trey would definitely like to have it back I’d imagine Mike Brown on film is going to tell him Trey how many times do we have to tell you I thought we we went over this last year stop pump faking let that thing fly Mike Brown is is well

Documented in saying he’s okay with them taking open threes if they’re there he will not criticize you if you take an open three as a matter of fact you have to take the open three you’re doing your team a disservice if they do all this running around all these screens all

This motion to get you an open look and you pass up on that open look you’re doing your team a disservice and the odds of you getting a shot that’s to the quality of the one that you turn down are almost slim to none so that that’s an unfortunate Learning lesson from

Tonight but um man it it was a hell of a comeback even in the first place to make it a close game and Shout out this Golden One Center crowd that was uh just awesome what I don’t know what else to expect but uh golden one tonight was

Rocking and uh you know it was uh it’s it was a really just your your typical Golden One environment really I mean once once the Kings gave fans a game to cheer about worth cheering uh it was rocking and this place was ready to explode on two or three different

Occasions where the Kings just kind of came up flat um there was one where uh they got like four or five offensive rebounds down the stretch uh and just couldn’t hit anything uh there was one where they got a steal and then got messed up in transition and didn’t end

Up getting any look in transition ended up resetting the offense and and those are the kind of things that kill you but that’s again credit to uh Minnesota who’s just an an amazing defense and and it’s not like brown talks about the multiple effort thing all the time it’s

Not just about hey there’s a guy in the corner who who just got a skip pass let me fly out and then I did a good defensive job no you got to fly out and then you got to recover and try and get back and if you can’t get back in time

You better find the the missing rotation and you better fill in um Minnesota’s just really good at that they’re good at the small things when you have a guy like Rudy Gober I mean frankly that’s that’s the way you should be playing and uh I think Minnesota finally figured it

Out after struggling for for a lot of last year I think this is really what they envisioned uh when they made all uh all those those picks uh that they sent off to Utah this is exactly what they had in mind and you know you you see you

See why they were willing to kind of risk it all to to bring in in goar because they are Head and Shoulders the best defensive team that I’ve seen this year um and you know frankly I mean you the Kings you could already got lucky the first time they played the

Timberwolves again not having Jaden McDaniels and then the fact that the Kings I think shot 40% from three in that game uh they made it about as easy as they could have won themselves that night tonight was just not the story and frankly the Timberwolves kind of owed

Him one I believe the kings are still the Timberwolves only uh home loss this season so you gota you had to kind of know especially facing a team that only has six losses this year and yeah the Kings have given them still their only their only home loss that the the season

You had to figure that Minnesota kind of had this one circled a little bit and said uh look this is our season and uh in order for us to kind of cement ourselves as as uh as the true best young team in the west right now uh a we

Need to Dethrone the previous best young team uh but B you just gotta kind of you gotta kind of prove a point directly in the head-to-head against those guys and uh you know doing it on on the Kings home floor pretty do domly for the most

Part of this game without one of your best players in Carl Anthony towns definitely you know I I I leave today pretty impressed with Minnesota you know there’s a lot of talk on is this legit um is this here to last the entire season I think so I don’t see any reason

Why Minnesota can’t keep this up as long as Anthony Edwards is healthy I mean that’s the big thing for them is if ant goes down I just don’t think they have enough scoring but as long as they have Anthony Edwards on this team and Rudy goar is is holding down the middle

They’re going to be fine they’re going to be totally fine I don’t know as a playoff team how how they’re going to look but I’ll tell you what at full strength with Kat Nas Reed and gobear it’s gonna be tough for just about anybody to try and match uh that that

Amount of Center power uh for 48 minutes let’s go to our three stars of the night this show is uh kind of flown by a little bit here uh going with the four stars of the night I’m sorry three stars um of the night and then I kind of

I might debut a new new segment let me see if uh let me see if I’ve got the necessary artillery to do so before I uh before I go and announce it but um three stars of the night as you can see in the in the lower crawl there give my first

Start to Keegan I I kind of already uh touched on him a little bit but again the 10 fourth quarter points uh I thought were big I thought the way that he shot them was big and uh he also guarded Anthony Edwards as well uh you know relatively uh unsuccessful I guess

For the most part I mean he he did a good job of sticking in front of him but an kind of did have his way with the Kings all night long it felt um so you know Keegan Keegan did okay defensively but even the fact that Mike Brown is is

Clearly trusting him with those kind of assignments to me is just huge because if the more range of guys that Keegan can guard the better it is uh in the long run for this team if he can guard guys from Anthony Edwards to Kevin Durant and all in between um um that’s

Huge and you know it’s been well documented that the Kings do need to go out there and make another move um if if it can be Keegan and and somebody else um on the perimeter look out because that’s how this team kind of does take

It to another level if they can have two big lengthy on ball pressure guys um that’s I mean that that’s that’s just that’s a real luxury and for a team that that is as offensive minded as the Kings it’s just about getting a couple stops

Here and there man it it again if if tonight the Kings just get const string together a couple stops uh and kill some momentum their offense is talented enough at any point to explode and uh if you can get some momentum started on the defensive end and take it to your

Offense I I can’t wait for this team to unlock that that’s just not even something that’s been in this team’s Arsenal uh these past two seasons is is defense truly leading to offense and especially at home if you can get momentum from a big defensive play a couple you know 24 second

Violations that’s like that’s out of nowhere and uh this team just kind of isn’t getting the benefit of that but that’s that’s clearly the next Evolution uh for these guys is is creating momentum via defense and uh you know just You could argue maybe the Kings don’t still don’t have the Personnel for

That um two stars going to do montis sabonis 1710 and 10 for the big man tonight I thought he play really well again I kind of touched on him earlier uh had some really good post-ups on Rudy goar uh had 10 assists you knew he was

Going to have to step up to playmaking with Malik out um and I thought he did a fine job that second unit didn’t look great but um again you know Malik is is such a big part of not just scoring for that second unit but you know getting

The lobs for javil McGee and and uh you know just drawing attention in general um you know driving the lane and and kicking it out to guys on the perimeter uh they they really had to rely on really just dearen tonight for that um and I will say you know D simonas did

Have maybe the best pass I’ve seen all season long he he did drive the lane go behind the back to find Keegan Murray uh in the in the corner here that was special that is uh that is that’s that to me is the pass of the

Year so far um that was so sick it was it was a it was it was definitely the highlight of the night uh in my opinion tonight and yeah the Kings needed it again I I thought the kings were going to need um a big performance from domas

Tonight in order in order to even be in this game remotely I didn’t think there was a chance that Rudy goar could just go crazy and have sabonis be okay and and have the Kings uh be in this one and you know I I would still say goar did go

Uh pretty crazy what he finish with 21 and 17 um but for sabonis to have a 17- 10 for the most part those guys cancel each other out and uh I I think you can live with that uh for for the most part um so shout out domas for for showing up

Tonight uh was was efficient as well um yeah you know him am I looking at this right actually him and dearen both had goose eggs in that fourth quarter and uh if you want to look at why the Kings lost tonight again that’s that’s exactly

Why um I I just think that you know they they they didn’t have I mean yeah again Minnesota was more than okay with letting Trey lyes and Keegan uh kind of win the game down the stretch because the Kings without Malik just didn’t really have anybody um so that’s going

To wrap it up for tonight again dear and fox uh three stars bye Morgan happy holiday yes Mary kingsi uh shout out Morgan and and du’s passed out these very awesome deuce and mo Mary kingsi cards uh to some of the media tonight love those guys uh I missed them at the

Station of course that’s hilarious I was actually just didn’t really look at that card but um yeah so uh de oh I didn’t even do de Morgan distracted me three uh three stars Deen Fox um you know I I I honestly didn’t feel like tonight was anything special for Daren again no

Points in the fourth but uh that second and third quarter he he was in complete control was able to get whatever he wanted and uh and man I mean uh you know if they could have just again I I think all they really needed was Malik monk

Tonight and I think this game goes a little bit differently of course you know Minnesota can say the same without cat but um I I just think Malik is is just such a huge GameChanger for this team and the spark of energy he provides and his ability to get others going as

Well really can’t be replaced you can’t just throw you know and dwarte also I will say had a had a pretty quiet night he did hit a hit a corner three um but really just didn’t get much of anything from the bench tonight uh let me see

What the bench finished off with before I get out of here uh Kings bench scored let’s see here Trey had 10 javil seven 17 Duarte 3 20 20 points uh for your Sacramento Kings bench um that’s you know that’s that’s not going to cut it on most nights um and uh yeah

You know they they they miss Malik monk what can I say Pay The Man uh so that’s that’s something that we all know anyway so uh you know it’s it’s unfortunate I don’t think um I really don’t think that this is that big of a loss it’s okay it’s the

The best team in the Western Conference um the most disappointing thing is the fact that again this team seems to not be able to win backto backs tonight was not the same as the other um was was not the same as the other back-to-backs though uh this was

This was just I mean they were missing shots and I don’t think it was because they were tired from the night before really that first half just plague them from the perimeter three of 18 uh at halftime from three they didn’t hit a single three in the first quarter I

Don’t think it was because of fatigue I just thought they were Miss flat out missing shots I think they needed a bigger night out of Kevin herder tonight you know when when uh you know again when you’re going against Minnesota who’s got all that length you need to

Pull that length out to the perimeter so it’s not boggling down the paint and Kings needed perimeter shooting and they got absolutely none so uh when you don’t get any perimeter shooting or just about none when dear’s pretty much your main perimeter threat uh for three quarters

It’s going to be really really hard to to get the offense going and I think that’s the biggest R uh reason why the Kings getting finished with 98 points I can’t imagine that they finished with under a 100 points more than once or twice this season um but man yeah uh

That is going to pretty much be a wrap on it for tonight uh the Kings now hit the road for a little bit of an extended road trip until the end of the year we will not be back in Golden One Center until January 2nd against the Charlotte

Hornets but ladies and gentlemen if there is a positive from tonight what is what is this saying don’t don’t um don’t cry because it’s over smile because it happened um that phrase actually doesn’t apply to this at all let’s just smile because it’s over actually because now now that

Christmas is is hitting uh on Monday the king schedule lightens up like I said road trip mini road trip here they play the Portland Trailblazers who are the second worst team in the Western Conference they played the Atlanta Hawks who are perpetually middling I saw they lost

To uh the Memphis Grizzlies I believe tonight uh and then they play uh the those very same Memphis Grizzlies on New Year’s Eve in Memphis that should be a good one is uh I think Memphis is 3 and0 since jaw came back uh so it looks like

Of course the kings are kind of playing them as they’re hitting their stride and playing their best basketball so uh won’t be here for a while but uh it is very welcomed as the schedule does lighten up just a little bit uh here right before the new year uh and then

Yeah can’t wait to be here on the other side of the new year you have a good one [Laughter] Mark uh and then yeah and then after the New Year hits again more easy opponents it’s it’s Charlotte Hornets here on the second you got a backtack with the

Orlando Magic who I cannot wait to see them they’ve been the best uh story so far in the league and then the Raptors and then guess who you play on H Sunday January 7th you have the New Orleans Pelicans yet again uh I will be joining

You all uh for the game on Tuesday after um on the 26th in Portland uh I’m not sure I don’t think I’ll be doing one on New Year’s Eve I’m pretty sure I’m going to be out and about I hope everybody else is as well so couple more of these

Uh live streams before the end of the year hope you all have a fantastic night and uh I guess we can’t light the beam but we can have a very very Merry Christmas yall have a fantastic holiday and uh hope to see you soon uh on the other side of uh of Christmas

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