The Sacramento Kings put up more of a fight than their last matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the end result was the same. The Kings fell 124-110, falling to 3-10 on the season and 0-2 in the Emirates NBA Cup.
Unlike the other games during this five-game losing streak, Sacramento was in control for a good portion of this game, keeping the game tied at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Minnesota took over down the stretch, though, going on a 25-6 run to secure the win.
Although the result is certainly frustrating, there were signs of progress. Head coach Doug Christie was asked about the progress and the starting lineup change that saw Russell Westbrook inserted into the lineup for the struggling Dennis Schroder.
Swapping Point Guards: A Win for All Parties
While addressing the lineup change, Christie explained that “Dennis is a pro. He played a hell of a ball game… we’re just trying to find ways to win and play with energy. Much respect to Dennis for how he approached the game.”
On the surface, the numbers do not tell a cheery story. The new starting lineup was outscored by eight to open the game, including a 16-2 Minnesota run. However, they got off to a much better start to open the second half, outscoring the Timberwolves by five in their opening third-quarter stint.
Looking at individual performances further supports the change. Saying Schroder had been struggling during the current losing streak would be giving him a lot of credit. He came into this matchup shooting a ghastly 4-27 from the field over the last four games. The FIBA legend looked much more comfortable in a reserve role last night, scoring 14 points and adding six rebounds and six assists.
Russell Westbrook, the other player involved in the change, did not miss a beat upon entering the starting lineup. The future Hall of Famer logged his second triple-double of the season and continued his hot shooting, going 2-5 from three — a much-needed development if Sacramento sticks with the Westbrook/LaVine/DeRozan/Achiuwa/Sabonis starting five until Keegan Murray returns.
Nov 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) works around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the first quarter at Target Center. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
There are a number of factors that played into Sacramento running Schroder out as the starter to open the season. Salaries (Schroder’s $14.1M and Westbrook’s $3.6M), familiarity with the team (Westbrook signed days before opening night, Schroder signing in July), and recency bias (Schroder’s FIBA run) all come to mind as potential rational for the lineup being what it was. Both players were clearly more comfortable in their new roles, so none of that matters now.
After tinkering to the tune of 10 different starting lineups in 13 games to open the season, it seems like Christie has landed on a starting group that fans can reasonably expect to remain intact until Murray’s return.
Wolves’ Length Bothers DeRozan
Nov 7, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) talks with an official after a foul call against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter at the Golden 1 Center. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Another recent development has been DeMar DeRozan’s mini-slump. The veteran wing was held to just 6 points on 3/10 from the field against Minnesota. This comes after a 4-point outing against Atlanta. Simply put, Sacramento needs more from its second-leading scorer.
Christie seemed to attribute this more to Minnesota’s personnel than DeRozan being off, explaining that “they’re putting some tough defenders on him… Anthony Edwards was on him, I think [Jaden] McDaniels switched off to him… so you got strength and athleticism, you got size.”
This is probably correct. DeRozan’s shot chart does not look out of the ordinary. While it is undeniable that DeRozan is one of the prolific midrange scorers the league has seen, Edwards and especially McDaniels both present enough length to bother DeRozan’s midrange game.
Nov. 14, 2025; Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan shot chart vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | StatMuse
In a league that seemingly gets taller, longer, and stronger by the day (aside from Sacramento), Minnesota stands out as a team with great positional size across the board. Although their defense is surprisingly underperforming to open the season, the Timberwolves and their length at all positions will always be a particularly difficult matchup for players like DeRozan, who rely on the midrange.
Though a 14-point loss might not seem like a result to build on, this is clear progress from a franchise-worst stretch in which Sacramento was not competitive by the fourth quarter of each game. Christie acknowledged as much, noting how rough a time this is for the team.
Unfortunately, this situation is unlikely to improve in the short term. Sacramento’s gauntlet of a schedule rolls on, with the road trip stopping in San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Memphis this week. We will get to see if Sacramento can bring a similar competitive level on Sunday, when the Kings take on former franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox and the San Antonio Spurs.
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