When Kawhi Leonard got ruled out indefinitely even before the season began, fans’ expectations from the Clippers plummeted significantly. But they have surprisingly done a decent job of staying afloat so far with James Harden leading the charge. Yes, they are currently on a three-game winning streak and will be looking to continue that run against the Kings tomorrow. However, that could prove to be a massive challenge because two Kings stars are making a return after a brief hiatus due to injury concerns.
As per latest reports, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis will suit up for the encounter at Intuit Dome. Well, Deebo has missed the last three games due to lower back soreness, an issue that led to him leaving mid-way through the Suns game last week. But he is ready to step on the hardwood again as he said in a recent interview, “Feel good. Just been getting a lot of treatment, getting back to my normal routine.” That’s great news for the Kings because DeMar has been on fire this season, averaging 22.9 points.
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Meanwhile, Sabonis missed two straight games with the same issue and he is also not on the injury report anymore. Well, that’s another big boost for the team as they get their double-double machine back. Unfortunately, there is one setback as Malik Monk will miss his sixth straight because he is still recovering from a right ankle sprain. Obviously, his absence hampers the team’s depth as he was averaging nearly thirteen points off the bench prior to the injury. But Monk is also nearing a return as he has begun participating in non-contact portions of team practice.
From the Clippers side, obviously Kawhi continues to remain out with the lingering knee issue. Well, there is still no timeline on his return even though he has begun “a little bit” of shooting work. Another player on the report is Norman Powell, who will miss his second straight with a hamstring injury.
Kings and Clippers’ Depth Chart
With Deebo and Sabonis returning, this is what the Kings’ depth chart looks like:
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Positions Starters 2nd 3rd PG De’Aaron Fox Jordan McLaughlin Malik Monk (O) SG Kevin Huerter Keon Ellis Colby Jones SF DeMar DeRozan Doug McDermott Isaiah Crawford (DD) PF Keegan Murray Trey Lyles Isaac Jones C Domantas Sabonis Alex Len Orlando Robinson
Obviously, the two stars will take their spot back in the starting lineup and they are likely to replace Trey Lyles and Alex Len.
Meanwhile, this is what the Clippers’ depth chart looks like:
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Positions Starters 2nd 3rd PG James Harden Kevin Porter Jr. Bones Hyland SG Kris Dunn Terance Mann Kris Dunn SF Amir Coffey Jordan Miller Norman Powell (O) PF Derrick Jones Jr. Nicolas Batum Kobe Brown C Ivica Zubac Mo Bamba Kai Jones
Well, their lineup is likely to stay the same as the previous game as they are on a good run and Ty Lue is unlikely to tweak the winning formula. Moreover, this is a high stakes game as it’s a group stage encounter for the NBA Cup and both teams are looking for their first win in this year’s tournament. What are your predictions for the game?