Kings gameday live: Gentry changes lineup; Holmes ruled out; six players out for Thunder
The Kings have struggled to take care of business against shorthanded teams this season. That might be a bad omen as they prepare to visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday at Paycom Center.
The Kings (22-40) are looking to snap a four-game losing streak after coming out of the All-Star break with back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets. Richaun Holmes is listed as questionable after missing the past two games due to back soreness.
The Thunder (19-41) has ruled out Luguentz Dort (shoulder), Josh Giddey (hip), Ty Jerome (hip), Mike Muscala (ankle), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (foot) and Kenrich Williams (knee). Giddey, Dort and Robinson-Earl have combined to start 141 games for Oklahoma City this season, but the Thunder managed to win without them in a 129-125 overtime victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off back-to-back 30-point games. The 23-year-old point guard had 32 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. He followed that performance with 36 points in the win over Indiana.
Dort, the team’s second-leading scorer at 17.2 points per game, has been out since Feb. 12 with a left shoulder strain. Giddey, one of the leading Rookie of the Year candidates, will miss his second game in a row due to right hip soreness. The 6-foot-8 guard is averaging 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists.
In or out
Interim Kings coach Alvin Gentry said he thought Holmes would be available when asked for an update during his pregame news conference, but Holmes was ruled out 30 minutes before tipoff. Holmes will miss his third game in a row.
Lineup change
Gentry made a surprise move with his starting lineup, inserting Trey Lyles in place of Maurice Harkless at the power forward position.
The Kings acquired Lyles, 26, in the trade that sent Marvin Bagley III to the Detroit Pistons. The 6-foot-9, 234-pound forward has appeared in four games for the Kings. He had seven points and one rebound in 16 minutes against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, going 2 of 3 from 3-point range.
Note: Check back throughout the day for updates on tonight’s game between the Kings and Thunder.
Sacramento Kings at Oklahoma City Thunder
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Paycom Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sports 1140 KHTK
Odds: Kings -4.5
Over/under: 223.5
Injury report
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Richaun Holmes (back). OUT — Terence Davis (wrist).
Thunder: OUT — Luguentz Dort (shoulder); Josh Giddey (hip); Ty Jerome (hip); Mike Muscala (ankle); Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (foot); Kenrich Williams (knee).
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
