MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Julius Randle had 24 points and nine rebounds to lead Minnesota past the Sacramento Kings 117-103 on Sunday night in the Timberwolves' second straight game without star Anthony Edwards.
Jaden McDaniels scored 21 points and Naz Reid added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves (17-9). They have won seven of eight and exacted a measure of revenge for their 117-112 overtime loss at Sacramento on Nov. 24 when they blew a 10-point lead with less than three minutes left in regulation.
Donte DiVincenzo had 18 points, six assists and four steals and Bones Hyland pitched in 18 points in his second straight start for Edwards, the guard sidelined by soreness in his right foot. Point guard Mike Conley also was out with an Achilles injury. Rudy Gobert, who had 12 rebounds in 20 minutes, left in the third quarter because of what the team announced as personal reasons.
DeMar DeRozan, Dennis Schroder and Precious Achiuwa each had 17 points for the Kings (6-20). They have lost 15 of their last 18 and have their worst winning percentage since the 2008-09 season when they finished 17-65.
Schroder returned to action from a hip injury, but leading scorer Zach LaVine injured his ankle in the second quarter and didn't return.
The Timberwolves are 14-1 against teams currently with losing records, with that late collapse against the Kings their only such loss. They won the season series 3-1, having already faced the Kings four times in 26 games in quite the scheduling quirk.
The Kings, highlighted by a career-high five blocks by Keegan Murray, kept the Wolves out of sync with active defense in the first half. They were devasted by two long scoreless stretches, a 14-0 run by the Wolves into the second quarter and a 15-0 surge in the third quarter.
Kings: At Portland on Thursday night.
Timberwolves: Host Memphis on Wednesday night.
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