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Kings trounce Timberwolves in battle of West's worst

Mar 20, 2011 - 10:45 PM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Samuel Dalembert had 26 points and 17 rebounds to guide Sacramento to a 127-95 rout of Minnesota at Target Center.

Marcus Thornton came close to a tripe-double with 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds while Pooh Jeter and Donte Greene each added 13 points for the Kings, who had dropped eight of nine coming into the contest.

"Our energy just increased throughout the game," said Greene. "The bench did good, we grabbed rebounds and it was a good time out there. We needed a win like this."

Luke Ridnour totaled 22 points for the Timberwolves, who have dropped their past four games. Anthony Randolph had 14 points while Michael Beasley and Darko Milicic each contributed 13 points.

"I was trying too hard cause I was frustrated out there," said Randolph about his seven turnovers. "We didn't do a good job tonight and I didn't do a good job tonight. It's just unacceptable."

Minnesota forward Kevin Love left the game in the second quarter with an injured left groin. He ended with three rebounds and no points in just over 14 minutes of action.

Minnesota's largest lead of the game came just over four minutes in as Martell Webster's jumper gave the team a 14-9 lead, but it was all Sacramento from that point.

The Kings scored 11 straight points later in the frame to help the team take a 28-23 lead after 12 minutes.

Minnesota got back to within three in the latter stages of the second quarter, but two three-pointers from Thornton helped Sacramento take a 57-48 lead into the break.

The Kings led by as many as 18 in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves got seven straight points to get back into the contest and trailed by 10, 85-75, heading into the final frame.

Sacramento, though, put the game away by opening the fourth quarter with 17 unanswered points as Minnesota didn't get its first points of the frame until there were less than seven minutes to play.

By that point, the Kings had a 27-point lead and it was never close the rest of the way.

Game Notes

Sacramento continues its five-game road trip on Monday in Chicago...Minnesota plays at Dallas on Thursday...The road team has won all three games in the series this season...Sacramento shot 56.0 percent and had 47 rebounds. Minnesota made 44.3 percent of its shots and managed just 27 boards.