NBA: Kings pull away from Timberwolves in overtime

De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball against the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center on January 11, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

Trey Lyles stepped in for fouled-out Domantas Sabonis to score eight key points in overtime, and De’Aaron Fox capped a 32-point night with a late hoop, an assist and two clinching free throws as the Sacramento Kings outlasted the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-111 on Monday in Minneapolis.

After watching the hosts tally the final four points of regulation in the last minute, the Kings got 3-pointers from Lyles and Keegan Murray early in the extra session to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Lyles’ three-point play with 2:48 to go in OT increased the advantage to 112-106, before Fox took charge down the stretch with his four points and assist, which came on a Lyles dunk with 37.1 seconds left.

32 PTS
5 REB
4 AST

De'Aaron Fox and the Kings get the OT win. pic.twitter.com/dZhZ8NlHmx

— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2023

The Kings had the last two shots of regulation but failed to capitalize when Fox misfired on a 15-footer with a 2 seconds left and Murray couldn’t convert on a buzzer-beating tip-in attempt.

Neither team led by more than 10 points in the game. The Timberwolves went up 96-93 on an Anthony Edwards jumper with 2:49 to go in regulation before Fox scored eight consecutive Kings points.

A Malik Monk layup off a Harrison Barnes steal seemed to put Sacramento in command at 103-99 with 1:02 to go, but Rudy Gobert hit one of two free throws and Jaden McDaniels buried a 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left, creating regulation’s final tie at 103-all.

Fox’s team-high point total was his 13th 30-point game of the season. He made 13 of his 27 shots.

Monk and Lyles chipped in with 19 and 11 points off the bench, respectively, for Sacramento, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Sabonis had 17 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out, and Murray put up 13 points and 13 rebounds, the third double-double of his rookie season.

The double-double was Sabonis’ league-leading 38th, while Murray’s rebound total was one shy of the season high he set earlier this month against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Edwards was the game’s leading scorer with 33 points for the Timberwolves, who saw a three-game winning streak come to an end. Edwards notched his 15th 30-point game of the year.

Gobert registered his 20th double-double of the season with 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Jaylen Nowell added 14 points, McDaniels 11 and D’Angelo Russell 10 to go with a game-high seven assists.

The same two teams met in Minneapolis on Saturday, and the Timberwolves won 117-110.

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