The Sacramento Kings (3-7) are hosting the Denver Nuggets (7-2) tonight at the Golden 1 Center in a matchup where the two teams are facing drastically different realities. The primary concern for the home squad is whether All-Star center Domantas Sabonis will be available for tonight’s contest.
According to the latest official NBA injury report, the Kings have listed Domantas Sabonis as available to play (left ribcage contusion) for tonight’s game in Sacramento.
Sabonis has not had the smoothest start to the season, with the Kings holding a 2-5 record in the games he has played. The Lithuanian star initially dealt with a low-grade hamstring injury that caused him to miss the season-opening loss to the Suns, and he subsequently suffered a rib injury that kept him out for two additional games.
After missing a back-to-back set, Sabonis returned to action in the tough 144-117 defeat to the Timberwolves, where he scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out three assists in 30 minutes. However, it appears Sabonis aggravated his ribs during that last contest, leading to his placement back on the injury report for the game against the Nuggets.
Impact of Sabonis on Kings’ frontcourt
Without Sabonis on the court, the Kings lose their most important presence in the paint as he’s the team’s leading rebounder. The Lithuanian widely leads the team on the boards, averaging 14 rebounds per game, followed by Russell Westbrook (6.4) and Precious Achiuwa (5.7).
When Sabonis cannot play, Drew Eubanks typically steps in at center, but his rebounding numbers (2.6 per game) are nowhere near Sabonis’ output. Rookie Maxime Raynaud (3.6 rebounds) and Achiuwa (5.7 rebounds) also contribute off the bench.
Furthermore, none of the available centers come close to matching Sabonis’ scoring production. The Lithuanian averages 15.3 points per game, which far exceeds the 6.7 points from Achiuwa, 6.3 from Eubanks, or 3.8 from Raynaud. That is why Sabonis’s presence is essential for the Kings, who have not started the season well and are eager to reverse this image as quickly as possible.