Even without Anthony Edwards, the Wolves continue against the Kings

The Wolves seem to have had a good start to the season. Chris Finch’s players dominated the Kings on Sunday (117-103), which was a little revenge after the collapse last November 24 in overtime against Sacramento. This time, debate was out of the question, even if Minnesota had to cope without its leader Anthony Edwardsit hurts.

The beginning of the match was quite favorable for the visitors. The Wolves struggle from 3 points and also suffer from below the circle. Maquime Raynaud sir Rudy Gobert at the start of the match in the duel between the French pivots, and in the first quarter he finished as the best scorer of his team (7 points, 4 rebounds). The entry of Malik Monk into the game brings an additional spark and the guests open the first deficit (18-27).

In a tough, low-shooting matchup on 9/24, Minnesota relies on its defense. Donte DiVincenzo leads by example with two blocks and three interceptions in the second quarter alone, including the one that allowed him to put Rayno on the poster! The guard is in all good shots and he is the main driver of the 14-0 run that Naz Reid concluded from behind the arc (32-27). The Kings start again with a good pass from Zach LaVine. But after scoring ten points in barely four minutes, the guard injured his left ankle and had to leave the team. The visitors held their own by attacking the circle early and putting up some good defensive resistance (like Keegan Murray’s five blocks on the night) to take a 52-51 lead into the break.

The law of the series favors the Wolves

This pretty face won’t last. The recovery is disastrous for Sacramento, perfect for Minnesota. The ball movement is much more interesting than Wolves, and makes everything easier. The home team made as many three-pointers in five minutes as they did in the entire first period, leading 18-2. Minnesota offers itself the first comfortable advantage (69-56). Gobert, the author of a great offensive rebound dunk, has to leave his partners, and it coincides with the Kings’ rebound. The bench, with Dennis Schroeder returning from injury, Malik Monk and Preschus Achiuva, 25 points between them in the third quarter, is doing well. It took all of Jaden McDaniels’ offensive aggressiveness, 13 points in that period, for Minnesota’s lead to disappear completely.

But as so often of late, Wolves have more bite in the final quarter. Sacramento gets close three times, but doesn’t get a defensive stop that could change the game. Bones Hyland and Naz Reed took care of it perfectly with the third series, 14-3 this time fatal for the Kings (107-95). Hyland is exceptional in his activity, and the defense gets the job done completely suffocating Sacramento, going 6/22 in the final quarter including 0/9 for the Westbrook-Monk tandem. It’s too much to hope for a stoppage.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– A festival of absence… and a decisive return. For the second match in a row, Anthony Edwards remained in civilian clothes. The Wolves full-back is still suffering from foot pain, although his bid insisted there was nothing to worry about. Mike Conley was sidelined with an Achilles tendon problem, an absence well compensated by the return of Bones Hyland, who suffered a premature knee injury last game against the Warriors and was very good Sunday with 18 points, including nine in the final quarter. Rudy Gobert disappeared in the third quarter and did not return to the game for “personal reasons”. The Kings lost Zach LaVine to an ankle injury, as if the problems weren’t already big enough.

– Wolves widen the gap, Kings jump a little more. With this victory, Minnesota made a good move in the standings, gaining three wins in front of the seventh, Phoenix. The Wolves remain on seven wins in eight games and a near-perfect 14-1 record against teams with less than a 50% winning percentage. Like the Kings, who continue to sink with their third straight loss, 15th in 18 games. Sacramento is just a game and a half ahead of the Pelicans at the bottom of the West.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.