It’s time for a heated clash between two Cali teams. The Golden State Warriors will take on the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors are on a tear right now with a 5-game winning streak under their belt. And their fans have been buzzing ever since Anthony Slater broke the news that Jonathan Kuminga was nearing a return for the Dubs soon.
But what does soon mean? Is he ready to go? Will he play for the Warriors against the Sacramento Kings tomorrow? Let’s answer all your questions with the injury report.
Is Jonathan Kuminga finally back for the Dubs?
“He looked good, we scrimmaged a little bit. And he took part in the scrimmage. I would say he’s probable for tomorrow… He’s trending towards playing, for sure.” This is what Steve Kerr told us during the pre-game press conference about Jonathan Kuminga’s status for the Sacramento Kings.
Now, the injury report has confirmed that Jonathan Kuminga is indeed PROBABLE to appear in the Kings game. Guess we’ll find out if he plays come game time. Aside from Jonathan, there are two others on the Warriors’ injury report. They are Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton Jr.
Podziemski is OUT of the Kings game as he’s still recovering from the lower back injury he suffered in the first minute of the Brooklyn Nets game. As for Gary, well, he’s listed as AVAILABLE despite a fractured nasal bone. He will play the Kings with a face mask on. That’s it for the Warriors’ injured personnel. Now, let’s move on to the Kings.
The Sacramento Kings are also doing well injury-wise. G-League players Mason Jones and Skal Labissiere are OUT as they’re on assignment with the Santa Cruz Warriors. They are the only players who will miss the Warriors game for sure. Apart from them, Jake LaRavia and Domantas Sabonis are also on the injury report for the Kings.
The duo is listed as QUESTIONABLE. Jake has a sore right knee, while Sabonis strained his left hamstring. Their status is viewed as day-to-day. So whether they play will be a game-time decision for interim head, Doug Christie. But Sabonis will likely be raring to go after missing 5 consecutive games for the Kings.
Now that we know who may miss the game, let’s see what kind of lineups both teams could field.
Kings vs Warriors – predicted starting lineups and depth chart
Steve Kerr said he wouldn’t start Jonathan Kuminga in the Kings game, even if he is fit. He believed that not keeping the starting lineup constant may disrupt the team’s rhythm. So, we expect the Warriors to field the lineup that has them 15-5 in their last 20. Here it is:
POSITION
STARTER
2nd UNIT
3rd UNIT
PG
Stephen Curry
Pat Spencer
Taran Armstrong
SG
Buddy Hield
Gary Payton Jr
Pat Spencer
SF
Jimmy Butler III
Moses Moody
Buddy Hield
PF
Draymond Green
Jonathan Kuminga (DD)
Moses Moody
C
Quinten Post
Draymond Green
Trayce Jackson-Davis
The Sacramento Kings enter this game off two back-to-back losses. So, they’ll desperately want to get back in the win column. And here’s the team that may help them do it:
POSITION
STARTER
2nd UNIT
3rd UNIT
PG
Malik Monk
Devin Carter
Markelle Fultz
SG
Zach LaVine
Keon Ellis
Malik Monk
SF
DeMar DeRozan
Jake LaRavia (DD)
Doug McDermott
PF
Keegan Murray
Trey Lyles
Jake LaRavia (DD)
C
Domantas Sabonis (DD)
Jonas Valanciunas
Trey Lyles
The Golden State Warriors have an edge over the Sacramento Kings in their last 5 head-to-head games. However, the record flips to favor the Kings when it comes to their last 3. Moreover, the Kings did beat the Warriors by 30 points back in January. So that’ll give them some motivation against the Dubs. However, that was a different team.
This new-look Warriors with Butler is something the Kings should have a healthy respect for. That’s because if they don’t, the Dubs may be in for another easy victory like the one in February!
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