SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – The Timberwolves have found playing in California’s capital city to their liking in recent years. Much more so than playing the Sacramento Kings at home, in fact.
Anthony Edwards had 26 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals, leading seven Wolves players in double-figure scoring in their 144-117 rout of the Kings on Sunday night.
The Wolves (6-4) won for the fourth time in five games, and for the second game in a row, they won in decisive fashion. This wasn’t quite the rout that Friday’s 40-point victory over Utah was, but the Wolves trailed only briefly early in Sunday’s game and shot 53.6% from the floor, hit 18 three-pointers on 46 attempts and scored 37 points off 18 Kings turnovers.
“Another complete game both ends of the floor,” Wolves coach Chris Finch told reporters after the game. “I thought we were really sharp, which is what we needed to be. Built on the performances of the other day, and it continued into today. Really, really pleased with how we’re starting games defensively.”
In his third game back from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss four games, Edwards shot 7-for-16 from the floor, 5-for-11 from three-point range and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line. He scored 37 points Friday against the Jazz and is now 12-for-23 on three-pointers over his past two games.
“I’m feeling like myself again,” Edwards said from the team’s locker room. “Just trying to string along some games to get my rhythm back, but feeling good.”
Jaden McDaniels scored 21 points, Rudy Gobert had 19 points, 12 rebounds and a season-high five blocks and Julius Randle also had 19 points as the Wolves starters shot 57.6% from the floor.
“When he comes alive like that and plays like that, that really carries our defense,” Finch said of Gobert.