When the Minnesota Timberwolves come to the capital of California on Monday night in search of their fourth win in a row, they have a chance to move closer to playing the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs.
With a score of 38-37, Minnesota rose to No. 7 position in the Western Conference after defeating the Golden State Warriors 99-96 on the road on Sunday.
The Timberwolves would be guaranteed a playoff berth and a meeting with the No. 1 team with a win on Monday if they beat the Warriors on Monday. the third seed in the first round.
In the West, Sacramento (45-29) is currently in third place.
The Timberwolves’ restricted success at Brilliant State was their second in a row since the arrival of Karl-Anthony Towns from a calf injury that sidelined him for 51 games.
The former All-Star was the hero in both victories, putting Minnesota ahead of Atlanta with two crucial free throws on Wednesday night and a crucial three-pointer against the Warriors.
Against Golden State on Sunday, Towns, who is restricted in minutes, scored 32 points, making him questionable on the second night of a back-to-back. Before Sunday’s encore performance, he had three days off after playing 26 minutes against the Hawks.
Anthony Edwards returned to the Timberwolves’ lineup on Sunday after missing three games with a sprained ankle.
Before Sunday’s game, Minnesota coach Chris Finch acknowledged that choosing who to play and how much has become a daily decision.
In the game against the Warriors, Edwards played 35 minutes and scored 13 points.
He has scored 34, 27, and 33 points in wins and losses against the Kings this season, respectively. When the teams last played on March 4, he also contributed with a three-point play and a 16-footer late in a 138-134 victory over Sacramento.
Kevin Huerter touched off a noteworthy month with a group high 29 focuses for the Lords in the home misfortune, making six of his nine 3-point shots.
After scoring 25 or more points just four times this season, the rookie King has done so five times in March. In home victories over the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz in the last three days, he had 29 and 27, respectively.
Huerter’s nine and seven rebounds in the victories impressed Kings coach Mike Brown even more.
