Kings Stall Late in Shorthanded Loss to Timberwolves

Who stood out for the Kings?

With two All-Stars missing the majority of Sunday's game in Minnesota, the Kings needed help from other sources. However, not a single Kings player scored over 17 points in the loss.

The Kings' help came from all over, as DeMar DeRozan, Precious Achiuwa, and Dennis Schroder each scored 17 points apiece, while Malik Monk chipped in 16 of his own. Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, stuffed the stat sheet with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals.

Even in a loss, the Kings put together a strong effort in Minnesota. Most notably, Sacramento's defensive effort was much improved.

Keegan Murray had a career-high 6 blocks, and as a team, the Kings held the Timberwolves to 43-93 (46%) shooting from the field and 12-37 (32%) from three-point range. Of course, Minnesota was playing without superstar guard Anthony Edwards to make their job easier, but overall, the Kings put up a good fight.

Kings' injury concerns

After losing seven of their last eight games, the Kings will now have three days off before their next challenge against the Portland Trail Blazers. The team will continue to monitor their injuries, as Sabonis is expected to remain sidelined, while the severity of LaVine's ankle injury has yet to be determined.

Luckily, Schroder returned to action on Sunday after a seven-game absence and had a productive game off the bench. However, they continue to prove that they have too many mouths to feed in their backcourt. Keon Ellis went into the game with a questionable designation due to wrist soreness, and despite being upgraded to available before tip-off, he received a DNP.

The Kings certainly need to figure some things out moving forward, and while injuries are not helping their case, they looked improved in some areas in Sunday's loss.