Game time: 5:00 p.m. PDT
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Broadcast Information: KHTK Sports 1140 (Radio), Comcast SportsNet California (Local Television)
Sacramento Kings Probable Starters (7-5)
PG: Darren Collison
SG: Ben McLemore
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Jason Thompson
C: DeMarcus Cousins
Minnesota Timberwolves Probable Starters (3-8)
PG: Mo Williams
SG: Corey Brewer
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Shabazz Muhammad
C: Gorgui Dieng
Three things to ponder
1. Playing down to the opponent
Kings fans know too well how their talented team steps up to play elite clubs, while overlooking others. Earlier in the season Sacramento lost to the severely short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder to snap a five-game winning streak, and the Timberwolves as of today are equally battered, if not worse. For the Kings to be seriously considered as a contender, they will need to take care of business against a soft road opponent.
2. Rudy Gay’s health
Achilles tendinitis hasn’t forced Gay to miss any games this season, but he needed ice and the training staff’s attention as he sat the beginning of the fourth quarter versus the Chicago Bulls Thursday. The Kings face a dilemma of allowing the issue to persist, or resting the forward at the risk of losing games that may cost Sacramento in April. Facing a bottom-dweller like Minnesota would seem like a good opportunity to reduce his workload.
3. Derrick Williams’ minutes
Williams is averaging a career-low 7.6 minutes per game this season after being replaced in the rotation by Omri Casspi. After scoring 10 points in 22 minutes on Thursday, by far his best showing of the season, Malone will have to decide whether to stick with the hot hand playing the team that drafted Williams second overall back in 2011.
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