Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Sacramento Kings
Date: December 14th, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio

The Timberwolves walked into Chase Center facing a massive problem: Golden State had Stephen Curry, Minnesota did not have Anthony Edwards. Add Mike Conley to the injury list, and suddenly this contest had all the ingredients of one of those Wolves games you mentally write off before tipoff and then pretend didn’t happen the next morning.

And let’s be clear, nobody was lining up to feel bad for Minnesota. This was the same Warriors team that had to survive four of five playoff games last May without Curry before finally succumbing to the Wolves in the Western Conference semifinals. Basketball karma doesn’t hand out sympathy cards. You play who’s available.

Still, losing Ant and Conley against a motivated Golden State team looking to avenge a playoff exit? That’s a steep hill.

Which is why Friday night ended up being one of the most impressive wins of Minnesota’s season.

When the news broke that Edwards wouldn’t play, the mandate for Minnesota wasn’t “win comfortably.” It was “don’t completely unravel.” Instead, the Wolves did something they haven’t consistently done this season: they adapted.

Bones Hyland got the start and provided an early spark before exiting with an injury of his own. From there, the offense shifted decisively into Julius Randle’s hands, where he took the opportunity to remind everyone why he matters to a team with real postseason ambitions.

Randle wasn’t just productive, he was authoritative. He led all Minnesota scorers with 27 points, dictated matchups, punished switches, and did exactly what a No. 1 option is supposed to do when the usual alpha is unavailable. This wasn’t empty calorie scoring. This was controlled, playoff-style offense.

And then there was Rudy Gobert.

Without Draymond Green or Al Horford on the floor, Minnesota had a glaring size advantage, and for once, they actually leaned into it. Gobert was a revelation inside, punishing Golden State with a barrage of efficient finishes, timely putbacks, and constant pressure at the rim. This was the version of Rudy that justifies the entire defensive ecosystem Minnesota has built: forcing the Warriors to think twice about attacking the paint and making every rebound feel contested.

The Donte Game (Yes, That’s a Thing Now)

Of course, no Golden State game is complete without Stephen Curry doing Stephen Curry things. Once he heated up in the 4th quarter, it felt like the game was drifting toward another familiar Wolves collapse.

When Curry started pulling from the parking lot, DiVincenzo answered. Not with flash, but with poise. His shot-making down the stretch didn’t just keep Minnesota afloat, it slammed the door. This was exactly why the Wolves brought him in: toughness, fearlessness, and the ability to survive chaos without panicking.

And just like that, the Wolves avoided yet another “we almost had it” loss and instead walked out of San Francisco with arguably their best win of the season . A game defined not by who was missing, but because of who showed up.

They beat a plus-.500 team.
On the road.
Against a healthy Stephen Curry.
Without Anthony Edwards.

Now Comes the Part Where It Gets Tricky Again

Minnesota doesn’t get a victory parade for one gutsy win. The schedule doesn’t care about narratives, and neither do standings.

Yes, that Sacramento — the team that stole a win earlier this season while missing Domantas Sabonis, capitalizing on a Wolves meltdown that still hasn’t fully washed out of everyone’s mouth. Anyone assuming this is a Sunday evening snoozer hasn’t watched enough Timberwolves basketball.

Whether Edwards and Conley play or not, this is one of those games that quietly defines seasons. Win it, and Minnesota keeps momentum rolling toward a legitimate push for a top-three seed. Lose it, and the Warriors win becomes one of those “remember that one good night?” footnotes.

Keys to the Kings Rematch

1. Play Real Team Basketball, Not Survival Basketball

This game is going to test whether Minnesota actually learned something in Golden State or merely survived on adrenaline and vibes.

Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley are still game-time decisions. Bones Hyland remains questionable. That means there’s a very real chance the Wolves once again walk into a game missing multiple ball-handlers. What worked against the Warriors needs to be the blueprint again. The offense ran through Julius Randle, who used his size to get high-percentage looks, drew help defenders, and kicked the ball out to shooters like Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid instead of dribbling the air out of it. The Wolves also made a concerted effort to involve Rudy Gobert early, exploiting mismatches and forcing Golden State to defend the entire width of the floor.

That same approach has to carry over here. Sacramento, once again, will be without Domantas Sabonis. There is zero excuse for Minnesota to devolve into iso-ball or late-clock desperation possessions. Whether Ant plays or not, this game has to be about collective execution. Matchups should be hunted deliberately, not stumbled into. One-on-one play should come after the defense is bent, not as a first option.

If Minnesota shares the ball and attacks with intent, their talent advantage will eventually break Sacramento. If they freelance and improvise, they’re inviting chaos.

2. Dominate the Paint Like You Mean It

This is where the game should be decided, and frankly, where it should have been decided last time.

Minnesota has a massive size advantage in this matchup. It’s not subtle. It’s not debatable. It’s glaring. And yet in the previous meeting with Sacramento, the Wolves failed to impose themselves physically. They allowed penetration. They gave up second-chance points. They didn’t clean the glass. And somehow, a Kings team missing its best big man walked away with a win.

That cannot happen again.

Rudy Gobert was outstanding in Golden State, finishing efficiently, cleaning up misses, and making himself a constant presence around the rim. The Wolves actively looked for him in pick-and-rolls and even in transition, which is something they’ve been inconsistent about all season. That needs to continue. Sacramento does not have the bodies to deal with Gobert if he’s engaged.

Julius Randle and Naz Reid also have to crash the boards with purpose. This isn’t just about scoring; it’s about wearing the Kings down. Every offensive rebound, every putback, every possession that ends with Sacramento boxed out and frustrated chips away at their confidence.

Minnesota needs to turn this into a trench war. If they do, Sacramento won’t have the personnel to keep up.

3. The Young Guys Have to Build on What They Started

For much of the first half in Golden State, things looked bleak for the Wolves’ young trio. Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. struggled mightily, looking overwhelmed and unsure of how to attack. Jaylen Clark, as usual, brought defensive energy, but the offense was stuck in neutral.

Then the second half happened – and it mattered.

Dillingham began using his speed to get downhill and finish. Shannon attacked the rim with force, generating easy buckets the Wolves desperately needed. Clark continued doing what he does best: harassing ball-handlers and disrupting flow on the perimeter.

That stretch wasn’t just encouraging. It was necessary.

This team will only go as far as these three allow them to go. Minnesota lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and that void hasn’t magically filled itself. If the Wolves are going to hang with deep, switchable teams like OKC later in the season, they need real contributions from their bench, not just survival minutes.

If Conley and Hyland are out, Dillingham’s minutes will be there whether he’s ready or not. He has to make the most of them. Shannon needs to continue attacking decisively. And Clark has to continue bringing his defensive edge against Sacramento’s wings and make life uncomfortable.

The Wolves don’t need perfection from these guys. They need competence, confidence, and effort. That’s non-negotiable.

4. Play Smart, Grown-Up Basketball — No Repeat Performances Allowed

The last game against Sacramento ended in a complete meltdown. There’s no sugarcoating it.

Turnovers. Poor inbounds execution. Defensive lapses. Bad shot selection. Everything that can go wrong did go wrong, all at once, in the final minutes. That loss wasn’t about talent. It was about decision-making and composure.

Sunday night cannot be a rerun.

Minnesota needs to value the ball, communicate defensively, and execute the basics. That means secure inbounds. That means not forcing passes into traffic. That means knowing when to slow the game down and when to push. It means trusting help defense and rotating instead of gambling.

This is not a glamorous game, but circumstances have turned it into a must-win. The Wolves failed to make the NBA Cup and were “gifted” this extra game against a struggling Western Conference team.

Whether Edwards plays or not, Minnesota is the better team. There is no excuse — none — for letting this slip again.

Final Thought: Momentum Is Fragile — Protect It

Friday night in Golden State was one of the Wolves’ best wins of the season. Shorthanded. On the road. Against a vengeful Warriors team led by a top-10 all-time player who was playing like it. Minnesota didn’t fold. They didn’t panic. They didn’t collapse. They responded.

Now comes the hard part: proving it wasn’t a one-off.

This Sacramento game won’t come with national buzz or narrative juice. But it matters just as much as the Warriors win, maybe more. Momentum in the NBA is fragile. You don’t build it with highlight wins alone; you protect it by taking care of business when you’re supposed to.

The Wolves let this Kings team punch them in the mouth once already. They can’t allow it to happen again. Not now. Not at home. Not with the standings tightening and bigger tests looming.

This is about professionalism. About maturity. About showing that Minnesota can string good habits together instead of oscillating between brilliance and self-destruction.

Beat the Kings.
Impose your will.
Keep the good vibes alive.

Then we can start talking seriously about what this team might become.