Kings vs. Blazers: Malik Monk, Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant injury news; 3 things to watch
The Kings are entering the now-or-never portion of their schedule as they try to secure a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
Four of the Kings’ next five opponents are under .500. That stretch starts when they conclude a seven-game homestand against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The Kings (35-37) have lost four in a row and eight of their last 10. They are clinging to the No. 9 spot in the West with a half-game lead over the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks.
The Blazers (32-41) are 12st in the West, three games out of the final play-in spot. They won four in a row before suffering back-to-back losses to the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the two best teams in the Eastern Conference.
Here are three things to watch in Thursday’s game.
Injury updates
The Kings are listing Malik Monk (illness), Devin Carter (illness) and Jake LaRavia (left thumb soreness) as questionable.
Monk, who has missed the past three games, is averaging career highs of 18.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists. Carter and LaRavia have played key roles off the bench in recent weeks.
The Blazers have ruled out Deandre Ayton (left calf strain), Robert Williams III (left knee injury management) and Bryce McGowens (right rib fracture). Jerami Grant (right knee tendinitis) is doubtful. Toumani Camara (left foot soreness) is questionable.
Ayton is averaging 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. Grant averages 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Camara averages 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
What out for Avdija
Blazers forward Deni Avdija has averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 11 games since the start of March, shooting 49.4% from the field and 46.3% from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts per game.
Avdija, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound small forward, is averaging a career-high 15.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his fifth NBA season. He scored 36 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets on March 21, two days after scoring 31 in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Sacramento’s last 10 games
The Kings are 2-8 in their last 10 games. All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis missed six of those games. Monk missed four.
Over that span, the Kings are 18th in the NBA in 3-point shooting (.366) and assists (26.1), 20th in field-goal percentage (.465), 23rd in scoring (110.3) and 27th in rebounding (39.5). DeMar DeRozan’s shooting efficiency dipped to 44.5% from the field and 27.9% from beyond the arc during that stretch.
Blazers at Kings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -5.5
Over/under: 225.5
Injury report
Blazers: QUESTIONABLE — Toumani Camara (foot). DOUBTFUL — Jerami Grant (knee). OUT — Deandre Ayton (calf); Bryce McGowens (rib); Robert Williams III (knee).
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Devin Carter (illness); Ja LaRavia (thumb); Malik Monk (illness).
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
