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The Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves battle in an all-important NBA In-Season Tournament game on Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Currently tied at 2-0 in West Group C, a win in the game on deck will give the teams a major boost in securing the best record in the grouping and outright spot in the next round.
Sacramento was last in NBA In-Season action on November 18 against the San Antonio Spurs, winning, 129-120, to stay unscathed in the tournament. All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox exploded for 43 points to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists to tow the team to victory.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, were 104-101 winners over the Golden State Warriors in their In-Season game on November 15. Big man Karl-Anthony Towns starred in the contest, finishing with a double-double of 33 points and 11 rebounds.
Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Moneyline
The game between the Kings and Timberwolves is set for 8 p.m., Eastern Time, and is available on NBA League Pass and for local TV on Bally Sports North and NBCS-CA.
Moneyline: Kings (+155) vs Timberwolves (-170)
Spread: Kings +4.5 (-115) vs Timberwolves -3.5 (-109)
Total O/U: Kings (o229.5) vs Timberwolves (u231)
Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves preview
Fox is set to figure prominently for Sacramento against Minnesota, along with fellow All-Star Domantas Sabonis. Keegan Murray (back), however, has been ruled out for a second consecutive game, making it imperative for guys like Sasha Vezenkov, Trey Lyles and Harrison Barnes to step up.
Minnesota, for its part, has been solid not only in the NBA In-Season Tournament but for the entire 2023-24 campaign so far, led by Towns and Team USA member and All-Star Anthony Edwards.
Forward Jaden McDaniels (ankle) is expected to be out for the next couple of weeks, leaving Nickeil Alexander-Walker to have another go as a starter against the Kings.
Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves predicted lineup
Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown went for the five of Fox, Sabonis, Barnes, Kevin Huerter and Chris Duarte to start in their last regular season game against New Orleans and should stay with it versus the Timberwolves. Lyles, Malik Monk, Vezenkov and Davion Mitchell will come off the bench for support.
For Minnesota, Towns, Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley form the core starters, with Alexander-Walker or Kyle Anderson filling up the last spot. Shake Milton and Naz Reid are among the key personnel in the second unit.
Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Tips
With his 43-point explosion in their last NBA In-Season Tournament game, much attention will be given on the scoring of Sacramento’s Fox. For the game at hand, the seven-year veteran guard has an over/under of 26.5 points. You get -110 for over and -120 for under.
Over at Minnesota, Edwards has been top-scoring, including in their last two games. He has an O/U of 26.5 points. If you go over you get -120 while for under it is -110.
Towns, meanwhile, has an over/under of 24.5 points -- -105 for over and -110 for under.
In rebounding, Gobert should be eyed, being among the top five rebounders (11.8 boards) in the league in the ongoing season. He has an O/U of 11.5 rebounds. You get -130 if you go for over and +100 for under.
The same goes for Sabonis, the second-best rebounder this season with 12.4 boards. His O/U is placed at 11.5 rebounds. If you go over you get -125 and for under -105.
Sacramento Kings vs Minnesota Timberwolves prediction
With practically an outright spot in the next round awaiting the winner, both the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves are going to duke it out hard in their scheduled clash.
Minnesota, however, should be a slight favorite, owing to the fact that the game is to be played at home, where they have been undefeated so far in seven games. The Timberwolves are also packing momentum, having won their last three games as opposed to the Kings, who are currently on a two-game skid.
