Sam Mitchell, the Timberwolves interim coach, said he thought his team was dealing with an emotional hangover when Wednesday's game with Sacramento began at Target Center.
Two days earlier, in the same building, with fans hanging from the rafters, the Wolves had taken defending champion Golden State to the limit before losing. Wednesday, the crowd was smaller, quieter. And the Kings came in limping, without high-scoring center DeMarcus Cousins.
So it took awhile.
But, after a lethargic and loose first half, the Wolves came out and took control in the second in a 113-104 victory.