Kings’ Domantas Sabonis To Miss At Least One Week

Star center Domantas Sabonis will miss at least one week due to a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, the Kings announced late Sunday night after Sabonis underwent an MRI.

Sabonis suffered the injury during Saturday’s win over Houston. Just over a minute into the game, the 27-year-old grabbed his left hamstring while running up the court. Kings head coach Doug Christie immediately called a timeout, and Sabonis headed to the locker room for evaluation. The team later confirmed he would not return to the game.

The news is a setback for the Kings, who are in the thick of a tight playoff race, but the diagnosis could have been worse. A Grade 1 strain is the mildest form of hamstring injury, and Sabonis’ absence may not extend beyond a week.

This season, Sabonis has been a key contributor for Sacramento, averaging 19.5 points, a league-leading 14.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game in 56 appearances. His shooting splits of .596/.432/.747 reflect his efficiency, and the Kings have a +4.0 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -3.7 mark when he sits.

With Sabonis unavailable for most of Saturday’s game, backup center Jonas Valanciunas played nearly 30 minutes, a significant jump from his average of just 14.3 minutes per game in his first eight appearances with Sacramento. Valanciunas finished the game with 15 points, 14 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks, helping the Kings secure the victory.

Valanciunas will likely continue to see an increased role as Sabonis recovers. Sacramento’s schedule this week includes games in Dallas on Monday, in Denver on Wednesday, at home against San Antonio on Friday, and at the Clippers on Sunday.

The Kings are currently 31-28, sitting ninth in the Western Conference standings. They are just percentage points ahead of the 32-29 Mavericks in 10th and a half-game behind the 32-28 Clippers, 32-28 Warriors, and 33-29 Timberwolves, who occupy the sixth, seventh, and eighth seeds, respectively.