The Kings have lost six of eight going into a daunting back-to-back set with a tenuous lead in a three-team race for the last two play-in spots in the Western Conference.
The Kings will face the Boston Celtics on Monday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday before concluding a seven-game homestand against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis was a full participant in practice Sunday and is considered questionable Monday after missing the past three games with a right ankle sprain. Malik Monk and Devin Carter are questionable due to illness.
The Celtics won’t submit an injury report until Monday afternoon because they are on the second night of a back-to-back, but they could be shorthanded after Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis missed Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Kings (35-35) are ninth in the West with a 1 ½-game lead over the No. 10 Phoenix Suns and No. 11 Dallas Mavericks. They are 5 ½ games behind the No. 6 Golden State Warriors, five games behind the No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves and 4 ½ games behind the No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers with 12 games remaining.
The Celtics (52-19) are second in the Eastern Conference. They are five games behind the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and 7 ½ games ahead of the No. 3 New York Knicks after winning five in a row and 10 of their last 11.
Here are three things to watch in Monday’s game.
Is Sabonis back?
The Kings weren’t expected to provide an update on Sabonis’ recovery from a right ankle sprain until Friday, but he has recovered faster than expected.
The team announced Sabonis was a full participant in Sunday’s practice. He has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game.
Sabonis has averaged 19.2 points, a career-high 13.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 58 games for the Kings. He must appear in seven of Sacramento’s last 12 games to reach the 65-game threshold for All-NBA honors and other postseason awards.
The Kings are 31-17 with Sabonis in the lineup this season. They are 4-8 in the 12 games he has missed.
Boston’s injuries
The Celtics might not be a full strength. Three starters missed Sunday’s game against the Blazers due to injuries.
Brown was out with a right knee posterior impingement. Holiday was out with a right shoulder impingement. Porzingis was held out due to Illness reconditioning.
Brown is averaging 22.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals. Porzingis averages 19.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Holiday averages 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.1 steals.
Last time
The Kings earned one of their best wins of the season when they beat the Celtics 114-97 on Jan. 10 at TD Garden.
Sabonis had a huge game for Sacramento, scoring 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting with a career-high 28 rebounds.
Celtics at Kings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Celtics -3.5
Over/under: 224.5
Injury report
Celtics: Not yet submitted.
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Devin Carter (illness); Malik Monk (illness); Domantas Sabonis (ankle).