Game Preview #2 – Timberwolves at Kings

Minnesota Timberwolves @Sacramento Kings
Date: October 24, 2024
Time: 9:00 p.m. CDT
Location: Golden 1 center
TV coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio reporting: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Okay, Wolves Nation, buckle up, because it's already time for Minnesota to overcome its season-opening blunders against the Lakers and get back on track. After a night of what can only be described as ugly basketball, the Timberwolves face the Sacramento Kings in the second half of their California road trip. And to make things even more interesting, it's the Kings' home game. So, yes, the Wolves will be dealing with another captive audience eager to see real basketball after months of watching highlight reels and scrolling through endless offseason trade rumors.

On paper, Minnesota should now have the upper hand here. Sacramento isn't exactly a heavyweight, and they didn't even make it out of the play-in tournament last season. But let's not pretend that these kings can't be dangerous. Last year they caused an upset at the Wolves, taking the win during the regular-season tournament and picking up an overtime win when Malik Monk decided to channel his inner Steph Curry and delivered a stunning performance. If you remember, that was also the game where Anthony Edwards went to greet his newborn daughter at halftime, which threw everything off course. As far as I know, no timber wolf babies are expected on Friday evening, so we should have the entire troop available this time.

Adjustments are key

The big takeaway from Wolves' opening game was that things didn't quite go to plan. The attack seemed about as coordinated as a middle school dance, and it was obvious that adding new faces like Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo wasn't going to work smoothly. That's not surprising – big trades and significant roster moves usually come with growing pains. But if you're a Wolves fan, you've got to hope that Chris Finch and the coaching staff have taken a close look at the film and figured out what the hell went wrong.

Spacing was a glaring problem against the Lakers, and if the Wolves want to be successful against the Kings, they will need to figure out how to spread the court better and provide some momentum on offense. Edwards tried to carry the load, but it sometimes felt like he was doing it alone. Against Sacramento, it can't just be, “Give Ant the ball and pray.” There has to be a more cohesive team effort to create open looks and keep the defense on its heels. Randle and DiVincenzo have to find their spots and someone has to hit a few threes to keep the Kings honest. Let's not sugarcoat it – things got ugly in LA, but that's what the early season is for: solving the problems.

A battle in color

The Kings come with their own challenges, especially with DeMar DeRozan now in the fold. Add him along with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis and Sacramento gets a pretty impressive trio, but much like the Wolves, they need to figure out how to put all the pieces together. DeRozan isn't exactly known for his three-point shooting. So if the Wolves can force Sacramento to shoot from distance, that would be a win. Of course, Sabonis will be his usual fighting self, but he's not Anthony Davis. Let's just say I would feel a lot more comfortable with Gobert, Randle and Naz Reid trying to deal with Sabonis than the chaos we saw when they tried to contain Davis.

Taking advantage of this size advantage will be crucial for Minnesota. The trio of big men – Gobert, Randle and Reid – must dominate the boards and ensure Sacramento doesn't get any easy putbacks or second-chance points. The Wolves were simply inferior in LA. That can't happen again, especially against a Kings team that doesn't have the same level of physicality.

Time to show some courage

Look, good teams don't give up after a tough game – they get better. The Wolves got a wake-up call against the Lakers and now it's time to respond. Nobody wants to start the season 0-2, especially given a brutal schedule that includes matchups against Dallas and Denver. Getting a win in Sacramento won't be easy, but it shouldn't be. Winning in the NBA, especially on the road, is about sticking through the tough games and showing that you have the courage to fight through adversity.

If Minnesota can escape this West Coast turnaround to 1-1, I would consider that a success. Sure, it's not the ideal start, but it's a lot better than being in a 0-2 hole right from the start. The season is a marathon, not a sprint, but there's no reason to trip over your feet before you've even reached the first mile.

The ant factor

Let's be honest: If the Wolves get this win, it will be up to Anthony Edwards. He's the guy and he showed what he can do against the Lakers, but now we need him to take the lead. Not just for a quarter, not just in spurts – Edwards needs to dominate the game. If he is firm, aggressive, gets to the rim, makes shots and plays the tenacious defense he is capable of, then Minnesota has a great chance to put the game back in order.

But he can't do it alone. This will require everyone to do their part. The start of the season is all about setting the tone, and if the Wolves come out and lay an egg in Sacramento, getting out of that hole will be much more difficult given the upcoming schedule.

So here we go, Wolves fans. It's time to see what this team is made of. Was the rough start just a coincidence? Or is there more to do than we would like to admit? We're about to find out.