Kings' Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk on verge of injury return
11/19/2024 02:54 PM
The Sacramento Kings currently find themselves 8-7 on the season and in the middle of the pack when it comes to other teams fighting for positioning in the Western Conference standings. De’Aaron Fox has been on an offensive tear as of late, but this team’s full potential has been hampered by injury concerns that have forced Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Malik Monk to miss time.
Whereas DeRozan has missed the team’s last three games with what is being labeled as lower back tightness, Sabonis has been sidelined for just the last two games with a lower back injury as well. Monk has missed the most time, as he’s been out five straight games with a moderate right ankle sprain he suffered against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 7 in Phoenix.
With Fox looking to get some help in order to ensure the success of this organization, it appears as if his prayers have been answered. Monk, who is a favorite for Sixth Man of the Year, has been cleared for individual on-court workouts and will be reevaluated by the team’s medical staff in the coming days before returning to the court, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN.
Both DeRozan and Sabonis have also been cleared to resume individual on-court activities, making the two All-Stars day-to-day and potentially able to return in the team’s next game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
After losing by one point to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, the Kings have several days of rest before their matchup in Los Angeles. This gives Monk, DeRozan, and Sabonis plenty of time to potentially make their returns.
With this said, Kings head coach Mike Brown has made it clear that the team isn’t going to rush any of their injured players back and instead focus on getting them to 100 percent over anything else.
“Obviously, we want our guys to be healthy,” head coach Mike Brown told reporters ahead of the team’s loss on Monday, according to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “Our medical team is going to keep doing what they're doing, our guys are going to keep doing what they're doing to get better, and when they come back, it will be great. Otherwise, we've got to have next man up tonight, embrace the small things and details, and try to get a win.”
It is clear to see why the Kings would struggle without Monk, DeRozan, and Sabonis, as these are three of their top five scoring options. DeRozan has been the most impactful scorer in Sacramento next to Fox, as the veteran has averaged 22.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor.
Despite the Kings lacking offensive production in recent games, Fox has really stepped up and answered the call. Fox scored a career-high 60 points in a 130-126 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, followed up by a 49-point performance in a four-point win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Only Fox and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant have scored at least 109 points over a two-night span over the last 50 years. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in league history to achieve such a feat, as he did so 15 times in his career. To keep things short, Wilt was simply unreal and put up video game-like numbers every time he took the court.
The Kings will provide clearer injury updates and timeframes for the potential returns of DeRozan, Sabonis, and Fox ahead of Friday night’s game against the Clippers.
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