Clutch baskets by DeRozan help Kings hold off Timberwolves in first game after Fox trade
DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-114 in their first game without De’Aaron Fox on Monday at Target Center in Minneapolis.
DeRozan went 14 of 25 from the field for the Kings (25-24), including three big baskets in the final 2:51.
Naz Reid scored 30 points for the Timberwolves (27-23).
The Kings will be back in action Wednesday when they play host to the Orlando Magic at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Zach LaVine is expected to make his Kings debut after being acquired in the three-team trade that sent Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and Kevin Huerter to the Chicago Bulls.
Stat leaders
Malik Monk had 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Sacramento. Keegan Murray had 19 points and seven rebounds. Domantas Sabonis recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Keon Ellis scored 13 points.
Jaden McDaniels added 22 points and seven rebounds. Anthony Edwards had 21 points and six rebounds while Rudy Gobert posted 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Injury news
Edwards (illness) and Reid (finger) were cleared to play shortly before tipoff after being listed as questionable for Monday’s game. Donte DiVincenzo (toe) and Julius Randle (groin) were ruled out for Minnesota.
Career milestone
Sabonis achieved a career milestone on his first basket of the night, scoring the 10,000th point of his career at the 7:35 mark in the second quarter.
Halftime report
Murray scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the opening period. Sacramento led 38-34 at the end of the first quarter and went up by as many as 12 in the second.
The Kings led 67-59 at the half. They shot 53.1% from the field while holding the Timberwolves to 44.7%. Minnesota went 8 of 23 (.348) from the field and 2 of 11 (.182) from beyond the arc in the second quarter.
Second half
The Kings appeared to be in trouble when Sabonis went to the bench with his fourth foul with his team clinging to a six-point lead at the 9:23 mark in the third quarter. The Timberwolves came back to tie the game on a basket by Edwards, but the Kings led 88-86 going into the fourth quarter.
Minnesota evened the score at the start of the fourth quarter and later took a 91-90 lead on a 3-pointer by Reid. The Kings reclaimed the lead on a 3-pointer by Monk and held on to win after DeRozan made three clutch shots in the final minutes.
Up next
The Kings will play their first home game since Jan. 22 when they entertain the Magic on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
Orlando has lost four in a row and nine of its last 10 after suffering a 104-99 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday. The Magic is led by Franz Wagner, who is averaging 25.1 points per game.
This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 7:31 PM.
