The Sacramento Kings are in major need of turning a corner. They are 12-13 and sit low in the Western Conference standings. After acquiring DeMar DeRozan in free agency this offseason, this was far from expected.
The Kings, at minimum, should be a playoff team with their current roster makeup. Fortunately, they should be rolling up on an opportunity at a victory. With NBA Cup knockout rounds underway, they've been given a bit of a rest.
The Kings' next bit of action comes on the road, though they're taking on the 5-20 New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans have been abysmal this season, and being unable to get their roster healthy has been nearly impossible as they sit at the bottom of the Western Conference.
However, Sacramento could be rolling into the contest shorthanded. They've dealt with some injuries themselves this season, and they could be without or limited with two key players on Thursday.
According to The Sacrameto Bee's Jason Anderson, Kings stars DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk were held out of practice on Wednesday for precautionary reasons.
"Kings guard Malik Monk and forward DeMar DeRozan were held out of practice today for precautionary reasons. The team did not disclose the nature of their injuries, but we're told both would have played if there was a game today," Anderson reportd.
As Anderson reported, the two would have played had there been a game today. Still, the two missing practice means there could be lingering injuries or issues.
However, it sounds like both DeRozan and Monk -- both crucial to the team's offensive success -- will be good to go against the Pelicans.
The Kings hit the road with a great opportunity to get back to .500 and start building some momentum moving forward.
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This story was originally published December 11, 2024, 10:08 AM.