UPDATE: Sabonis will miss at least 10 days with an ankle sprain, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Sacramento Kings are battling for a postseason berth with a shot at the NBA Play-In Tournament on the line. However, they’ll be hard-pressed to secure a win and stay above .500 on Wednesday against a league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers squad.
Sacramento will be also shorthanded for the contest with center Domantas Sabonis officially ruled out because of an ankle injury.
The European big man averages 19.2 points per game while pulling down an NBA-best 13.9 rebounds each night — notably, this would be his third consecutive season pacing the league in boards. His absence will leave a massive gap to fill, particularly when it comes to offensive production. Aside from his status as his team’s third scoring option, Sabonis is the playmaking hub for the Kings’ attack and dishes out 6.2 assists per game.
Without Sabonis in the lineup, Jonas Valanciunas is a near-lock to enter the starting five. He’ll be a nice option in DFS contests, averaging 12.2 points with 12.0 rebounds in his six starts for the Kings. Additionally, the ball will likely be in DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine’s hands more. Both player can fill the scoring column in a hurry and might be primed for big outings.
The Kings are 34-33 and currently sit ninth in the Western Conference. As the season enters the home stretch, every contest becomes more important as they battle for a shot at the Play-In.
Wednesday’s game against the Cavaliers tips off at 10 p.m. EST.
