With only four regular season games remaining, the Kings are fighting for that ninth spot in the West standings to gain a slight edge in the Play-in tournament. They are tied in wins with the tenth seeded Mavs with a game to spare. So, they headed into tonight’s Pistons clash hoping to increase that gap. But things took an unfortunate turn when their star player Malik Monk was forced to leave the game midway due to a health issue.
Well, Monk abruptly subbed out of the game in the closing minutes of the opening quarter after spending only six minutes on the court. It was later reported that he was done for the night and would not return. Reason? A calf injury.
Status alert: Malik Monk (calf) won’t return Monday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 8, 2025
While its not clear when Malik got injured, he ran into a screen by Isaiah Stewart just seconds before subbing out. So, there is a chance the collision might have hurt his calf. Monk’s night ended with only 2 points on 1 of 3 shooting. Of course, that was a huge blow to the team because he has been one of their key players all year, averaging 17.4 points and nearly six assists.
As expected, the Kings immediately felt the effects of Monk’s departure. Before he left, they were trailing by only two points, but the Pistons took over in the second quarter finished the first half with a ten-point lead. With Malik out, Devin Carter is likely to see an increase in playing time.
(Developing Story)
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