After stringing together a four-game win streak, the Sacramento Kings have lost two of last three, but are coming off a heartbreaker against the LA Clippers. LA star Kawhi Leonard sent them home with a buzzer-beating game-winner, and now the Kings have to march back to Sacramento for the second leg of a back-to-back series.
On Monday night, the Kings are hosting the New York Knicks. The Knicks have lost three consecutive games, but still sit in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 40-23 record.
Both the Kings and Knicks should be desperate to get back in the win column, but Sacramento will continue to be shorthanded.
The Kings have ruled out star center Domantas Sabonis for Monday's game against New York due to a left hamstring strain.
Kings update Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk injury status: pic.twitter.com/6xmWiPtfCQ
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) March 9, 2025
Sabonis has already missed Sacramento's last four games, five including last week's contest when he got injured just one minute into their win over the Houston Rockets. In those five games, the Kings are 3-2, as backup big man Jonas Valanciunas has stepped up big time.
In four starts as a King, Valanciunas is averaging 14.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.3 stocks per game, while shooting 51.1% from the field. While Sabonis is one of Sacramento's most valuable players, having a guy like Valanciunas who can step up and still produce in his absence has been huge.
Sacramento Kings center Jonas Valanciunas (17)
Mar 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Sacramento Kings center Jonas Valanciunas (17) rebounds against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
The Kings certainly hope to have Sabonis back soon as they enter a challenging stretch in their schedule but will have to try to take down the Eastern Conference powerhouse on Monday night without him.
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