Weird fact: The Timberwolves and Kings can't beat each other at home

It's been nearly three full seasons since the road team won in the series.
Feb 3, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) moves past Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) moves past Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Wanna know something crazy? It's been 10 straight games that the road team has won when the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings, 24 hours after trading De'Aaron Fox, walked into Target Center on Monday night and left Minneapolis with a 116-114 victory. The last time the home team won between the two was Jan. 28, 2023 when the Timberwolves beat the Kings 117-110 in Minneapolis.

Since then, it's gone like this...

  • Jan. 30, 2023: Kings won 118-111 in Minneapolis
  • March 4, 2023: Wolves won 138-134 in Sacramento
  • March 27, 2023: Wolves won 119-115 in Sacramento
  • Nov. 24, 2023: Kings won 124-111 in Minneapolis
  • Dec. 23, 2023: Wolves won 110-98 in Sacramento
  • March 1, 2024: Kings won 124-120 in Minneapolis
  • Oct. 24, 2024: Wolves won 117-115 in Sacramento
  • Nov. 15, 2024: Wolves won 130-126 in Sacramento
  • Nov. 27, 2024: Kings won 115-104 in Minneapolis
  • Feb. 3, 2025: Kings won 116-114 in Minneapolis

That's literally one game shy of three seasons worth of meetings between the Wolves and Kings without the home team winning.

There's no doubt that Minnesota losing at home to the Kings was a bad loss Monday night. The Kings were very short-handed after trading Fox and Kevin Huerter in the three-team blockbuster with the Spurs and Bulls, and Zach Lavine wasn't available after being dealt to Sacramento from Chicago. Still, one can't help but wonder if the outcome of the game was out of Minnesota's control since there's now a ridiculous streak of the road team winning no matter what game conditions are presented.

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.