Kings-Thunder gameday live: Latest on De’Aaron Fox’s status as Sacramento ends road trip
The Kings will try to conclude a perfect three-game road trip when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at Paycom Center, but they might have to do it without All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox.
Fox is questionable for Tuesday’s game due to left wrist soreness. Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be out again after missing Sunday’s game against the Kings with right ankle soreness and an abdominal strain.
Sacramento opened its trip with a 176-175 double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday before beating the Thunder 124-115 on Sunday in Oklahoma City. The Kings will return to Sacramento following Tuesday’s game to open a four-game homestand against the Clippers on Friday at Golden 1 Center.
The Kings (35-25) have won three in a row and six of eight to move 10 games over .500 for the first time since they finished 50-32 in 2004-05. They are third in the Western Conference, 1 ½ games behind the second-place Memphis Grizzlies. They have a three-game lead over the fourth-place Phoenix Suns, who added Kevin Durant at the NBA trade deadline.
The Thunder (28-32) is 13th in the West after losing three in a row, 1 ½ games behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the final play-in spot.
The Kings are gaining notoriety around the NBA as they try to end the longest playoff drought in league history after 16 consecutive losing seasons. The NBA announced their March 9 home game against the New York Knicks has been added to the TNT schedule.
Fox has been a driving force in Sacramento’s surge. He has produced seven consecutive 30-point games, a Sacramento-era franchise record. Fox is second in the league in scoring over that stretch, averaging 34.4 points on 57.9% shooting.
Fox update
The Kings told The Bee’s Chris Biderman that Fox participated in a non-contact portion of the morning shootaround Tuesday near Oklahoma City. His status for the game against the Thunder will be a game-time decision.
Ruled out
The Kings announced that Fox has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against Oklahoma City. Kings coach Mike Brown said Davion Mitchell will start in place of Fox.
Fox has only missed five games this season. The Kings are 1-4 when he doesn’t play.
Kings at Thunder
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Paycom Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -2.5
Over/under: 238.5
Injury report
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — De’Aaron Fox (wrist). OUT — Keon Ellis (G League); Neemias Queta (G League).
Thunder: OUT — Ousmane Dieng (G League); Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle/abdomen); Chet Holmgren (foot); Aleksej Pokusevski (tibia); Olivier Sarr (G League).
Upcoming schedule
Feb. 28 at Oklahoma City Thunder
March 3 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
March 4 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
March 6 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
March 9 vs. New York Knicks
This story was originally published February 28, 2023 at 4:00 AM.
