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Kings-Timberwolves Preview
By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Mar 19 2011 2:04PM
A career-best performance from Michael Beasley helped the Minnesota Timberwolves defeat the Sacramento Kings earlier this season. His team hopes he'll be at full strength for the rematch.
Beasley suffered a bruised hip in the last game, but the forward expects to play as the Timberwolves host the Kings on Sunday.
Minnesota (17-53) is just ahead of Sacramento (16-51), which owns the worst record in the Western Conference. The clubs have split two meetings, with each winning on the road.
Beasley pulled Minnesota even in the season series with a spectacular effort, scoring a career-high 42 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 98-89 win Nov. 10. The third-year player is averaging 23.3 points in six games versus the Kings, his highest average against any team.
He left a 106-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday with a bruised left hip, but expects to be on the floor Sunday. He was hit hard by center Andrew Bynum in the fourth quarter, but X-rays came back negative.
"I'm fine. I'm cool. I'm straight," said Beasley, who had 18 points and seven rebounds before departing. "It was just a hard foul, a playoff foul. They're getting ready for the playoffs, man. It's the kind of foul and the kind of basketball they've got to play, and you've got to get used to playing against that."
Minnesota suffered its third straight loss and sixth in eight games.
The Timberwolves may feel a sense of urgency to end their skid Sunday, as their next six opponents are Dallas, Oklahoma City, Boston, Chicago, Miami and Memphis.
The Kings open a five-game road trip having lost two in a row and eight of nine. Sacramento fell 102-80 to Philadelphia on Friday.
The Kings shot 34.5 percent and had 22 turnovers. DeMarcus Cousins scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half and finished with 12 rebounds, but Sacramento trailed 55-38 at the break.
"We didn't shoot the ball well," forward Jason Thompson said. "Sometimes you can get away with things like that, but obviously we couldn't and didn't play well."
After averaging 30.0 points in his previous three games and scoring 42 against Golden State on Monday, guard Marcus Thornton was held to seven points on 3-of-12 shooting against the 76ers. He missed all six 3-point attempts and committed six turnovers.
The Kings have lost five straight on the road, but they opened the season with a 117-116 win at the Target Center on Oct. 27.
While Sacramento was unable to contain Beasley in the last matchup, the Kings did shut down Kevin Love, who finished with eight points and nine rebounds. It was one of two games this season in which he failed to reach double digits in both points and rebounds.
My first attempt at a GT - I hope I bring good luck
Also, I am psyched because I can watch it live without being sleep deprived tomorrow 
AROOOOOOOOOOOOO! Let's go Wolves!
