Kings rested, ready for Timberwolves

The best-of-7 conference semifinals begin tonight.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Though the Sacramento Kings are well-established among the league's elite, they're still searching for a trip to the finals.
After losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round in 2001 and the Western Conference finals in 2002, the Kings were beaten by Dallas in the conference semifinals last year after Chris Webber got hurt.
"That stuff just hardens you and gets you through difficult times," said Latrell Sprewell, whose Minnesota Timberwolves host the Kings in Game 1 of their best-of-7 conference semifinal series tonight.
Race for the ring
"They probably want a ring worse than we do," Sprewell said. "They've been close so many times. I'm sure they have a bad taste in their mouth from not being able to get to the finals."
Sacramento was the best team in the West for most of the season, but eight losses in their last 12 games dropped the Kings to fourth in the conference and raised doubts about their ability to emerge from the league's toughest conference.
The Kings' high-scoring, passing-oriented offense was in good form, however, as they disposed of Dallas in five games in the first round. They have been idle for four days since.
"I think we're ready," guard Doug Christie said. "We've had a few days off to relax and heal up, and everybody is pretty rested. In the playoffs, you don't want too much time off, but I think this was just about right. Hopefully we'll come out sharp."
The Timberwolves, after acquiring Sprewell and Sam Cassell alongside MVP Kevin Garnett, were just behind the Kings for most of the season until taking over the top seed with a late surge.
Their come-from-behind 94-86 win at Sacramento on April 8 pushed them ahead of the Kings in the conference standings and served notice of their legitimacy.
No trash, just dirt
"We enjoy playing each other," Cassell said. "There's not going to be no trash talking. It's just going to be two teams getting down and dirty and playing the game of basketball."
Garnett has been through eight postseason appearances, seven of which ended in first-round losses, but he's got 10 new teammates this year.
"We have guys that have knocked on the door already though, individually," coach Flip Saunders said. "We've gone through tons of battles."
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