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Wolves, Kings clash in Twin Cities

Mar 20, 2011 - 3:03 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of last-place teams playing out the string collide today in the Twin Cities, as the Minnesota Timberwolves host the Sacramento Kings in a showdown at the Target Center.

The Timberwolves have lost three straight and six of eight games, and are coming off Friday's 106-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center in the finale of a three-game road trip.

Wesley Johnson paced Minnesota with a career-high 29 points, while Kevin Love went for 15 points and 13 rebounds.

"I thought it was good for our guys to see how rough and physical a game can be," Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis said. "That's a good thing for our learning experience."

Minnesota is last in the Northwest Division and 12-23 as the host. On the injury front, forward Michael Beasley (hip) is probable for Sunday.

Sacramento will begin a five-game road trip this afternoon against the Timberwolves, Bulls, Bucks, Pacers and Sixers, and is 7-24 away from home.

The Kings have lost two straight and eight of nine games, including Friday's 102-80 loss to Philadelphia. DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Omri Casspi added 14 points off the bench and former Sixer Samuel Dalembert pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds to go with six points.

"I don't know if you can ever tell why (a team comes out flat). But it does happen to every team," said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. "And this was a bad game for us."

Sacramento, last in the Pacific, is winless in its past five road games. Cousins is averaging 18.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in his last nine games.

The Kings and Wolves have beaten each other once this season, with each club prevailing as the visitor. Sacramento has won six of the past nine meetings between the teams.