Preview by Matt Becker at STATS.com (via Yahoo):
In a matchup of two of the worst teams in the NBA who have recently fired their coaches, the Minnesota Timberwolves look to avoid losing 10 straight games in a single season for the first time in more than 14 years when they visit the struggling Sacramento Kings on Monday.
Sacramento fired coach Reggie Theus hours before this game after getting off to a 6-18 start to his second season with the club. Assistant coach Kenny Natt will take over the Kings, spokesman Troy Hanson said, becoming Sacramento’s fourth coach in less than three years.
Minnesota (4-19), meanwhile, lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 98-86 on Sunday to drop its ninth consecutive game and fourth in a row since Kevin McHale took over as coach last Monday.
The Timberwolves shot just 36.1 percent from the floor against the Lakers, and their offense has been virtually nonexistent during their skid. Minnesota, which has not lost 10 straight since dropping the final 10 contests of the 1993-94 season, is averaging just 90.8 points on 41.2 percent shooting in its last nine games.
“The guys are going to go out there and fight and scrap. I know that,” McHale said. “We’ve just got to go out there and play a style of ball that will fit this team and stick with it. I don’t think that right now, we are able to do that.”
The Timberwolves have a better record than just one team in the NBA - Oklahoma City, which is three games back of Minnesota in the Northwest Division.
Things haven’t been much better for Sacramento, which is in last place in the Pacific Division. After opening the season 4-5, the Kings have won just two of their last 15 games.
While wins have been scarce for the Timberwolves, they managed to defeat the Kings 98-96 in their season opener at the Target Center. Just over a week later on Nov. 7, Sacramento beat Minnesota 121-109 at home.
Al Jefferson, who had 20 points and 13 rebounds against the Lakers, has 35 points and 19 rebounds in two games against the Kings this season.
Sacramento is coming off an embarrassing 114-90 loss to New York on Saturday, as it trailed 43-21 after one quarter and was down by as many as 30 points. The Kings shot 36.7 percent from the field, including 3-of-23 from 3-point range.
“We know that we have to put this behind us,” guard Francisco Garcia said. “Games like this are going to happen during the season and we will come back Monday and have a great attitude. We will have the home-court advantage and come back and do our thing.”
Home-court advantage hasn’t amounted to much for Sacramento, though, as its dropped nine of its last 10 games at Arco Arena. The Kings averaged 112.0 points in winning their first three in Sacramento, but are averaging 94.5 points in their last 10 there.
John Salmons led the Kings with 14 points on Saturday, and has scored 47 in two games versus Minnesota this season.
Kevin Martin, averaging a team-high 20.8 points, was healthy for both games against the Timberwolves, but has missed 14 of Sacramento’s last 16 with a left ankle sprain. The Kings have gone 3-11 in his absence.
Just got to say...this game gives me that warm an fuzzy feeling.
The obligatory photo that depicts the state of the team
