Sacramento Kings Power Forward Domantas Sabonis is expected to miss at least 10 days with a right ankle sprain. As Shams Charania reported, Sabonis is the NBA’s leading rebounder, but this missed time could be crucial for the Kings’ season and playoff hopes.
He just returned after missing six consecutive games with injury, but now he will miss more time. The Kings are 3-6 without Sabonis in the lineup this season. Sacramento holds a 34-33 record, sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference with a month left in the regular season.
Domantas Sabonis’ Season
This injury is unfortunate timing for Sabonis. Sabonis is in the midst of one of his best seasons ever. He is averaging 19.2 points per game and shooting 42.5% from three. His offensive efficiency has been excellent. His 13.9 rebounds per game are a career-high that leads the NBA. On top of that, he can also pass, averaging 6.2 assists per game. With these excellent numbers, many were surprised when he was not named a Western Conference All-Star. Regardless, it has been one of the best seasons of his career.
The Kings have gone through many ups and downs throughout the year, from firing their coach to trading De’Aaron Fox, but Sabonis has been a consistent beacon for their offense. Despite being undersized for the center position, he can rebound among the best of them and space the floor. With his three-point shooting and passing ability, the Sacramento offense can spread out and Sabonis can provide a multitude of options.
His rebounding and passing give them ample opportunities in transition. It also helps that he does not need to be the center of the offense to make an impact. He can fit into multiple systems and will be missed in the Kings lineup.
Sacramento’s Playoff Hopes
While 10 days may not sound like much in the modern NBA landscape, at this point in the season, any injury is crucial. Teams want to be healthy when they reach the playoffs to help their seeding and chemistry for the biggest games of the year. The Kings are barely above .500 with a 34-33 record. They are in ninth place in the Western Conference and are 1-4 in their last five games. Now, with Sabonis missing 10 or more days, he will be out for a tough stretch of games. For the next week, Sacramento plays the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
In ninth place, the Kings will likely finish in the play-in tournament. They are four games behind the eight-seeded Los Angeles Clippers and two games ahead of the tenth-seeded Dallas Mavericks. Without Sabonis, Sacramento could drop in the standings with a hole at the center position. They will need to rely on DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to carry the load on offense in his absence. Both players are capable scorers having good seasons, but with the tough opponents ahead, no Sabonis could be fatal for their playoff seeding.
The Clippers already have a decent lead on the Kings. With only 15 games remaining, they may not catch them, especially with Sabonis out. This would put them in the ninth or tenth seed where they would need to win two consecutive games in the play-in tournament to get the eighth seed. If they accomplished that, they would run into the championship favorite Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. This injury does not help Sacramento’s chances.
Final Thoughts
Sabonis is expected to miss 10 days with an ankle sprain but could miss more. This could have a huge impact on the Kings and their seeding for the play-in tournament. Their best hope is for Sabonis to get healthy before the end of the season.
