The set-up: The 29-47 Sacramento Kings have been eliminated from postseason contention and the 30-44 Minnesota Timberwolves will join them shortly. Not much was expected of the Kings this season and when Rudy Gay (18.7) was lost to a season-ending injury and the Kings traded Cousins (27.8 & 10.6) at the All Star break, Sacramento 'turned the page" and has now sat out 11 straight postseasons. However, Minnesota's season began full optimism with two of the NBA's finest young players in Towns and Wiggins plus a proven scorer in LaVine. The addition of head coach Tom Thibodeau was expected to get this team into the playoffs. Instead, the T-wolves are now on the brink of playoff extinction, which will mark the 13th straight non-playoff season for this franchise.

Sacramento: The Kings enter Saturday's game at Target Center coming off a lopsided 117-89 road loss against the New Orleans Pelicans. It was Cousins' first game against the team which traded him away and he scored 37 points. Rookie Buddy Hield was the key piece in the Cousins trade and after averaging just 8.6 points in 57 games with New Orleans, he's averaged 13.9 points in 19 games with the Kings, shooting 48.5 percent from the floor.

Minnesota: Towns (24.7 & 12.1) and Wiggins (23.1 & 4.0) have had outstanding seasons plus LavVne (18.9) was close to a 20-point average before getting hurt. Veteran PG Rubio (10.9 & 9.0 APG) has put together a solid season and so has PF Dieng (10.1 & 7.9). There is just no excuse for this team to be 14 games under .500!

The pick: The T-wolves ended a six-game slide with a 115-114 Monday win at Indiana and then won again Thursday night at home, 119-104 over the Lakers, who aren't trying to win. Yes, the Kings are just 4-15 since trading Cousins but they are still trying. I want no part of laying a huge number with Minnesota. Make the Kings an 8* play.