In the first contest of a four-game road trip, the Kings overcame a slow start and a red-hot performance from Andrew Wiggins to outlast the Timberwolves in Minnesota and earn their eighth win of the season, 113-101.
DeMarcus Cousins (31pts and 18 rebs) and Ben McLemore (22 pts and 9 rebs) led the way for Sacramento combining for 53 points, while Rudy Gay added 14 points, six boards and six assists.
McLemore’s offensive production was a season-high, while his nine rebounds tied a career-high.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, suited up just 10 players missing Ricky Rubio, Thaddeus Young, Nikola Pekovic, Kevin Martin and Ronny Turiaf to injuries.
Although Wiggins entered the game averaging just 11 points per contest, the rookie small forward kept his team in the game down to the final buzzer.
The 2014 top pick tallied a career-high 29 points, including 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Despite hot starts from McLemore and Cousins − who combined for 13 points in the first period − the Kings committed four early turnovers, which led to four points on the other end and gave Minnesota a 24-21 lead after one quarter of play.
Sacramento struggled to find the basket in the opening 12 minutes starting 9-of-24 from the floor, including 1-of-7 from three and 2-of-5 from the free-throw line.
The Timberwolves continued their strong start in the second period as they used two big dunks from Shabazz Muhammad to take a 30-27 lead. But after a breather, DMC reentered the game and tallied a quick seven points to keep his squad within reach.
When the Kings began to attack the rim, they found success.
As the first half wound down, McLemore jammed home two dunks while DMC added one of his own as the Kings pulled within four, 52-48, at halftime. Despite starting 2-for-12 from beyond the arc, Sacramento dished out 14 assists on 19 baskets in the first half and kept the game close.
Early in the third, the River City used a 15-6 run in just over four minutes to retake the lead, 65-60, in large part thanks to McLemore’s continued hot hand. No. 23 drained his third and fourth treys of the game as the Kings took an eight-point lead.
Sacramento’s advantage swelled to double-digits late courtesy of back-to-back dunks from Cousins, who finished the game with his 10th double-double of the season and sixth straight.
Offensively, the Kings were effective early in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota stayed within single digits as Wiggins tallied seven points. Down the stretch, the T-Wolves struggled to stop Cousins, and No. 15 made them pay.
The Kings big man tallied 10 of his game-high 31 points in the final period without missing a shot. He was a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Darren Collison chipped in six points, while Derrick Williams added five as Sacramento preserved the win.
For the second-straight game, Williams scored in double-digits tallying 12 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Collison (19 pts and 7 asts) tallied his seventh game of the season with at least 13 points and six assists.
Pure Power
Dating back to last season, DeMarcus Cousins has put together a pair of impeccable outings against the Timberwolves. Over the past two games versus Minnesota, the Kings star has scored a combined 66 points, while cleaning the glass 33 times. Furthermore, both outcomes have been in favor of Sacramento.
Entering the game, DMC was ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (22.5 ppg) and tied for the League-lead in field-goals made in the restricted area. This year, the Kings center has connected on 69-percent of his attempts within five feet of the basket.
Cousins’ rebounding has also impressed over the past three games. Against Minnesota, Chicago and New Orleans, the former Kentucky Wildcat collected a total of 49 boards, including double-digit defensive rebounds in each contest.
Although his pure power often overwhelms defenders, in the first quarter against the T-Wolves, DMC showed his grace and versatility with an unbelievable layup in transition. No. 15 snagged a full-court pass off balance before juking a defender and finding the net.
Dimes
One key to the current two-game win streak has been the team’s effort to make the extra pass. Against the Timberwolves and Bulls this week, Sacramento racked up 50 assists. Leading the charge, Darren Collison and Rudy Gay have combined for 28 helpers. The purple and black are now averaging 19.2 assists per game this season.