DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 116-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. The Kings (25-24) secured the victory after finalizing their trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio and brought Zach LaVine to Sacramento.
Malik Monk stepped up as the Kings’ primary ball handler, finishing with 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Keegan Murray added 19 points, while Domantas Sabonis contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds. Sacramento snapped a three-game skid and ended its 2-6 road trip on a high note.
Naz Reid had a season-high 30 points for Minnesota (27-23), including 16 in the first quarter. Jaden McDaniels scored 22, and Anthony Edwards finished with 21 points. The Timberwolves dropped their second straight game after falling to the Wizards on Saturday.
Sacramento controlled the first half and led by as many as 12 before Minnesota made a push in the third quarter. The Timberwolves briefly took a 91-90 lead early in the fourth, but the Kings responded and held off Minnesota’s late-game rally.
Monk hit a pair of key shots in the closing minutes and sealed the game by sinking four free throws in the final 17 seconds. DeRozan also delivered in crunch time, making a crucial layup with 30 seconds left to give Sacramento a four-point cushion.
The Timberwolves played without Julius Randle, who missed his second straight game with a groin injury. Minnesota struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 12-of-40 from three-point range despite attempting 16 more threes than Sacramento.
