After a big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday evening, the Sacramento Kings were riding high and feeling good about themselves. But the NBA has a way of humbling even the most modest of teams.
The Kings jumped out to an early lead, but it was short-lived. Needing a win to stay in the playoff chase, the Timberwolves turned to Karl-Anthony Towns and the young big delivered.
The 112-105 loss was costly. Sacramento fell to just two games over the .500 mark at 31-29. Here are the positives and the negatives from the loss.
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NEGATIVE
The Standings
Every game means something when you are in the middle of a playoff chase and Monday evening's loss hurts. The Kings came into the night a game out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings. When the Spurs lost to the Nets, it opened a door for Sacramento to move up.
Minnesota has been hit and miss all season long. After surviving the Jimmy Butler ordeal early in the season and dumping Tom Thibodeau 40 games in, the T-Wolves are still on the fringe of the playoff picture.
NBA
Not only did Sacramento have a chance to move up, they missed an opportunity to drop Minny four games out of the race, while taking the season series.
This is one of those games that could come back to haunt the Kings in the future.
NEGATIVE
Hield on the Pine
Buddy Hield has been nothing short of a revelation for the Kings this season. He's leading the team in scoring and his flare for the dramatic has made him a fan favorite.
Against the T-Wolves, Hield showed flashes of brilliance, but he also struggled to hold onto the rock. Hield turned the ball over five times on the evening and midway through the fourth quarter, Dave Joerger pulled the plug.
Hield finished the evening with 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes of action. Sacramento could have used his scoring down the stretch, but Joerger stuck with the group that got them back in the game.
NEGATIVE
Missing in Action
Willie Cauley-Stein came up huge in Saturday's big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He stepped in front of the freight train known as Russell Westbrook and came up with one of the most impactful defensive stops of the Kings' season.
That Willie Cauley-Stein did not show up Monday night in Minnesota. Playing against his former Kentucky teammate, the Kings' center was completely overmatched. He lasted just 13 minutes, finishing the night with four points, one rebound and five personal fouls.
Towns dropped a 34-point, 21-rebound double-double on Sacramento. His performance was a big reason why the T-Wolves pulled out the win.
POSITIVE
Brewer of Energy
Corey Brewer is a breath of fresh air. The 32-year-old has bounced around the league, but when he's found court time in Sacramento, he's made an immediate impact.
He's long, athletic and he plays with tremendous energy from the moment he steps on the floor. After dropping in 11 points and running a plus-2 against Golden State in his first game with the Kings, Brewer hit Minnesota with 12 points and posted a plus-9 in 16 minutes of action.
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Sacramento doesn't have another player like Brewer on the roster. He wreaks havoc and causes the game to slip into chaos. He only has a couple of days left on his second 10-day contract. Both he and the Kings have a small window to see if they are a good fit together.