The Kings will face the Los Angeles Clippers in a game with NBA playoff implications Sunday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
Both teams have key players out due to injuries. The Kings will be missing Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis. The Clippers are missing Norman Powell and Ben Simmons.
The Kings (33-29) are ninth in the Western Conference with 20 games remaining in the regular season. They are two games behind the Golden State Warriors for the No. 6 seed after winning five of their last six games.
The Clippers (34-29) are eighth in the West, one game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for seventh and just a half-game ahead of Sacramento.
The Clippers are 2-0 against the Kings this season after posting a 107-98 victory on Nov. 8 in Sacramento and a 104-88 victory on Nov. 22 in Inglewood.
Here are three things to watch in Sunday’s game.
Sacramento injury updates
Monk and Sabonis have been cleared for on-court activity, but neither will be available against the Clippers.
The Kings said Monk and Sabonis both completed individual workouts Saturday as they progress in their return-to-play plans. Both have been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Sabonis will also miss Monday’s game against the Knicks before he is reevaluated Tuesday.
Monk has missed the past two games with a right toe sprain. Sabonis has missed the past three games with a left hamstring strain. Keon Ellis has started in place of Monk while Jonas Valanciunas has filled in for Sabonis.
Ellis averaged 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.5 blocks as a starter over the past two games. Valanciunas has three double-doubles in the past four games, averaging 15.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks.
Powell and Simmons out
Powell has missed the past three games with a right hamstring strain. Simmons has missed the past four games due to left knee injury management.
Powell leads the team in scoring, averaging 23.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals. He is shooting 49.4% from the field and 42.4% from 3-point range on 7.7 attempts per game.
Simmons has appeared in five games since signing with the Clippers on Feb. 10. He averaged 6.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 58.3% from the field.
Guarding Harden
The Clippers are coming off back-to-back wins over the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks despite the absences of Powell and Simmons.
James Harden scored a season-high 50 points in a 123-115 victory over the Pistons on Wednesday, going 14 of 24 from the field, 6 of 13 from 3-point range and 16 of 20 at the free-throw line.
Kings at Clippers
When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Intuit Dome
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Clippers -6.5
Over/under: 221.5
Injury report
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Jae Crowder (back). OUT — Malik Monk (toe); Isaiah Crawford (G League); Mason Jones (G League); Domantas Sabonis (hamstring).
Clippers: OUT — Patrick Baldwin Jr. (G League); Cam Christie (G League); Trentyn Flowers (G League); Seth Lundy (G League); Normal Powell (hamstring); Ben Simmons (knee).