Due to a left knee contusion, Sacramento Kings All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox is labeled as questionable for Friday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fox is expected to miss his second straight game following his absence from the Denver Nuggets game.
Is Fox Going to Play? Important Upcoming Games for Kings
The Kings Are Affected Significantly by Fox’s Absence
The loss of Fox, who scores 27 points a night on average, would be devastating to the Kings. The Kings are 3-4 when he does not play. The Timberwolves, who now hold the top seed in the Western Conference, have the potential to worsen that record. Fox is one of the NBA’s fastest players and gets to the rim with ease. Due to a knee contusion, he has been unable to play since Monday night. According to sources, he is day-to-day, but the Kings will use caution while using their star. Luckily, he was able to rehearse before to their most recent game, so his return is getting closer.
Potential Situations for Fox
After taking four days off from the court after his last game, De’Aaron Fox might suit up for the Kings’ next game. Fox’s injury should have healed significantly as a result of the extra healing time. The team’s medical staff may still want to tread cautiously given the state of their star point guard.
Since it’s still mid-season, the Kings have an incentive to avoid pushing Fox back too quickly and running the risk of making things worse. Consequently, the organization may ultimately decide to hold him out for one more game out of prudence, even if he feels healthy enough to play.
The Kings may need to modify their starting lineup and rotations if De’Aaron Fox is unable to play in the upcoming game. Davion Mitchell would most likely take over as the starting point guard in Fox’s absence. Mitchell’s playing time has been limited this season, but he would play a lot more minutes as a starter.
Furthermore, Malik Monk and Chris Duarte can see an increase in playing time and responsibilities while Fox is sidelined. Both guards have played well this season in complimentary positions that come off the bench. But without Fox, they may need to put in more effort and be more involved on both sides of the floor. Since he has played a significant role in the Kings’ lineup this season, his absence will need to be filled by others.
The History of Fox vs. Timberwolves
Throughout his NBA career, De’Aaron Fox has faced the Minnesota Timberwolves 22 times. The Sacramento Kings had a dismal 8-14 record versus the Timberwolves in those meetings. On the other hand, Fox has produced some outstanding statistical results when playing Minnesota. The average for Fox in his 22 games against the Timberwolves has been 21.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. Therefore, Fox has performed exceptionally well on an individual basis while his team has struggled to defeat the Timberwolves.
Fox shone up in especially in the Kings’ last two games against the Timberwolves in the NBA 2022–2023 season. He averaged 31.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game versus Minnesota in those two games. Thus, it appears that the rookie point guard enjoys the opportunity to play the Timberwolves, as seen by some of his finest stat lines of the year while up against them.
Final Thoughts on De’Aaron Fox’s Injury
For the Kings to have a shot against the Timberwolves, who are currently dominating the Western Conference, De’Aaron Fox must be available. His presence might mean the difference between Sacramento winning and losing.
