Two teams with long-awaited returns to the playoffs very much on their minds meet up for an NBA-style doubleheader when the Minnesota Timberwolves and host Sacramento Kings open a two-game set Tuesday night.
The Western Conference postseason hopefuls are scheduled for a rematch, also in Sacramento, on Wednesday.
The Timberwolves, who have made the postseason just once since 2004, have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA this season, already surpassing last year’s win total of 23 by five.
Minnesota is riding a four-game winning streak that is one shy of its season best. The team can equal that Nov. 17-24 run, which included a 107-97 home win over the Kings, in the opener of the back-to-back.
Coincidentally, the Timberwolves’ last two games also were against the same opponent, when they swept a home-and-home with the Detroit Pistons. That came on the heels of consecutive wins against two teams ahead of them in the Western playoff race – the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets – as Minnesota attempts to improve from its current play-in (seventh-place) status.
Reserve Malik Beasley had 18 and 20 points in the wins over the Pistons.
“Last year we probably would have lost these two games,” Beasley said. “But now we continue to play hard, continue to play as a team. We’d rather have bad wins than bad losses. So it feels good to get those wins.”
Sunday’s 118-105 home win over the Pistons marked the return of D’Angelo Russell from a bruised shin. He contributed 22 points and eight assists.
Anthony Edwards led the way with 26 points when the Timberwolves beat the Kings in December. De’Aaron Fox had a game-high 28 for the Kings.
Fox has missed Sacramento’s last eight games and remains questionable for the pair against Minnesota because of a sore left ankle.
The Kings have won two of three after a seven-game skid. Tyrese Haliburton (13 points, 17 assists) and Maurice Harkless (18 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles in Saturday’s 113-103 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Rookie Davion Mitchell, who has exploded of late with six straight games of 15 or more points and a 19.0 average over that run, credits Haliburton as being the team’s glue.
“It’s just really fun to play with Tyrese, because he’s always going to get you open,” Mitchell said. “He’s going to make tough shots. He’s a leader on the floor. Guys look to him.”
Mitchell and Haliburton totaled just 14 points and nine assists in the earlier loss at Minnesota.
A member of Baylor’s national-championship team last season, Mitchell came off bench against the Timberwolves. He has started the last six games in Fox’s absence.
In an attempt to reach the postseason for the first time since 2006, the Kings began the week battling the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs for the final play-in spot in the West.
