Zach LaVine returned to the lineup after missing the previous game due to right thumb soreness, but it wasn’t long before he was back on the injured list.
LaVine went down with a left ankle injury in a 117-103 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday at Target Center in Minneapolis. LaVine left the game late in the first half and did not return.
Julius Randle had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves (17-9), who were without their best player with Anthony Edwards missing his second consecutive game due to right foot soreness.
Jaden McDaniels scored 21 points for Minnesota, which has won seven of its last eight games. Naz Reid came off the bench to post 20 points and 11 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo and Bones Hyland scored 18 points apiece.
DeMar DeRozan, Precious Achiuwa and Dennis Schroder scored 17 points apiece for the Kings (6-20), who have lost three in a row and seven of their last eight. Schroder was back in action for the first time since Nov. 24 after missing the previous seven games with a right hip flexor strain.
Malik Monk came off the bench to score 16 points for Sacramento. Keegan Murray had 10 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots.
Halftime report
The Kings were in control early, making plays at both ends of the floor to build a lead in the opening minutes. Sacramento shot 55% in the first period while holding Minnesota to 37.5%.
The Kings went up by as many as nine points in the first quarter and led 27-20 at the start of the second. The Timberwolves staged a 12-0 run to take a 32-27 lead early in the second period. The Kings answered with a 12-3 run to go up 39-35.
LaVine came up limping when he rolled his left ankle on an and-1 basket with 5:20 to play in the opening half. LaVine stayed in the game after converting the three-point play, but he left with 2:21 remaining and limped back to the locker room for attention from the team’s medical staff.
The Kings were clinging to a 52-51 lead at the halftime break. DeRozan and LaVine scored 10 points apiece to lead the way for Sacramento.
Second-half summary
LaVine came back out to the court for warmups during the halftime break, but a short time later he hobbled off the floor and headed back to the locker room.
Rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford started in place of LaVine to begin the second half. Moments later, the Kings announced LaVine would not return due to the ankle injury.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert started the second half for Minnesota, but he left the game with 7:48 to play in the third quarter and did not return due to personal reasons. Gobert finished with seven points and 12 rebounds.
The Timberwolves staged a 15-0 run to take a 66-54 lead on a basket by Hyland. Minnesota went up by 13 before Sacramento stormed back to cut the deficit to two late in the third period. The Kings trailed by four going into the fourth.
Sacramento got within one on a couple of occasions early in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota would not relinquish the lead.
Up next
The Kings will have three days off before they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at Moda Center with a rematch set for Saturday in Sacramento.
The Blazers (9-16) had lost three in a row and six of seven going into Sunday’s game against the Golden State Warriors. They are led by Deni Avdija, who averages 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists.