For all the things that had gone well for the Timberwolves of late, Donte DiVincenzo’s shot going down was not one of them.
The sharpshooter was 3 for 18 from deep over Minnesota’s three-game winning streak heading into Friday’s home tilt.
The shots fell when Minnesota needed them against the Kings.
DiVincenzo went 5 for 10 from 3-point territory to key the Wolves’ offensive attack in a 124-110 victory over Sacramento at Target Center. The guard finished with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Wolves improved to 2-0 in NBA Cup group play with the win and can, essentially, assure themselves a spot in the quarterfinals with a win next Friday in Phoenix, regardless of the result of their group play finale in Oklahoma City on Nov. 26, thanks to the team’s currently gaudy point differential of plus-54.
Minnesota has now won four straight, with all victories coming against the Kings (3-10) and Utah Jazz. The Wolves also have wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets over their past seven contests, which represents one of the easiest stretches any NBA team will face in terms of quality of opponent this season.
But the Wolves have handled their business in each of those bouts. Friday’s tilt was the most competitive of the bunch.
Minnesota jumped out an 18-7 advantage in the early minutes of the game, but then was largely outplayed over the next two quarters by a Kings’ team that’s now lost five straight, each by 14-plus points.
The Wolves (8-4) led by just one entering the final frame. But a 9-0 run early in the fourth, capped by a 32-foot missile from DiVincenzo, put Minnesota firmly in control for the remaining duration of the contest.
That bucket came off an offensive rebound, as Julius Randle tipped his own missed free throw back out to the perimeter. That was a theme of the frame, as the Wolves lived on the glass. They outrebounded Sacramento 18-11 in a fourth quarter where Minnesota grabbed five offensive rebounds.
Randle finished with 26 points, 11 boards and five assists, while Anthony Edwards paced Minnesota with 30 points and Naz Reid tallied a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
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