Kings-Blazers gameday live: Weather postpones Portland’s flight; Malik Monk ‘ready to go’
Kings guard Malik Monk expects to be back in action when the Kings return from the All-Star break to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at Golden 1 Center — assuming the Blazers make it to Sacramento.
The Blazers were planning to fly to Sacramento on Wednesday, but a severe winter storm forced the team to postpone its flight. The Oregonian reported the Blazers spent several hours on a chartered plane before the flight was finally canceled.
A team spokesman told The Sacramento Bee the Blazers now plan to fly to Sacramento on Thursday morning. Monk said he will be ready for them.
Monk missed two games before the break with a right ankle sprain, but he participated in Tuesday’s practice and said he will play against Portland. When asked about the ankle, Monk said: “It’s good. It’s great. I’ll be back Thursday, ready to go.”
The Kings (32-25) are third in the Western Conference with 25 games remaining in the regular season. They lead a tightly bunched group of 10 teams that are separated by just 4 ½ games in what promises to be a wild playoff race. That group includes the Blazers (28-30), who are tied for 11th in the West, a half-game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final play-in spot.
Monk sustained the ankle injury in a 122-114 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 10. He feared the worst when he went down under the basket after landing on JaVale McGee’s foot on a driving layup attempt late in the third quarter.
“Don’t be broke,” Monk said he thought to himself, “because I thought it was way worse than it was, just like everybody else. Everybody thought it was my knee, though. I’m just thankful that it wasn’t as bad as everybody thought.”
Monk was playing well before suffering the injury. He had scored in double figures in seven consecutive games with two 20-point performances.
Monk is averaging 13.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in his first season with the Kings. The 25-year-old guard spent four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and one with the Los Angeles Lakers before signing with Sacramento as a free agent last summer.
The Blazers feature All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, who won the 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City. Lillard is averaging 31.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
Portland’s second-leading scorer, Anfernee Simons, is out with an ankle sprain. Center Jusuf Nurkic (calf) and forward Justise Winslow (ankle) are out as well.
Simons is averaging 21.4 points and 4.2 assists. Nurkic averages 13.8 points and 9.4 rebounds. Winslow is averaging 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Travel update
The Blazers boarded their plane about noon Thursday. They were planning to de-ice and expected to begin the 90-minute flight to Sacramento within the hour.
Neither the Kings nor NBA officials have responded to questions from The Sacramento Bee about the possibility of postponing Thursday’s game, but that could be a possibility if the Blazers face further delays.
Cleared for departure
The Blazers were scheduled to arrive in Sacramento a few short hours before Thursday’s game against the Kings after a severe winter storm in the Pacific Northwest caused major travel delays. According to flightradar24.com, the Blazers’ flight left Portland at 1:42 p.m. and was expected to arrive in Sacramento at 2:48 p.m., about four hours before Thursday’s 7 p.m. game at Golden 1 Center.
Ruled out
The Blazers announced they would rest Lillard and forward Jerami Grant after their flight to Sacramento was delayed nearly 24 hours.
Blazers at Kings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -11.0
Over/under: 239.5
Injury report
Blazers: OUT — Ibou Badji (knee); Jerami Grant (rest); Damian Lillard (rest); Jusuf Nurkic (calf); Anfernee Simons (ankle); Justise Winslow (ankle).
Kings: OUT — Keon Ellis (G League); KZ Okpala (knee); Neemias Queta (G League).
Upcoming schedule
Feb. 23 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Feb. 24 at Los Angeles Clippers
Feb. 26 at Oklahoma City Thunder
Feb. 28 at Oklahoma City Thunder
March 3 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
