The Kings have dropped a Sacramento-era record 14 consecutive games as they resume play after the All-Star break with a home game against the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.
Avoiding the dubious franchise-high streak definitely got harder when big man Domantas Sabonis (left knee) and shooting guard Zach LaVine (right hand) both had season-ending surgeries on Wednesday.
Sabonis initially tore the meniscus in the knee in mid-November and missed 27 games before returning on Jan. 16. The three-time All-Star played in just 19 games this season and averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
LaVine last played on Feb. 6. The two-time All-Star averaged a team-high 19.2 points along with 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 39 games.
Kings coach Doug Christie knows the task becomes more difficult without two of the team’s top players.
“It makes it tough. You feel for Zach, you feel for (Domantas) because you know how much work they put into what their life dream is and being successful,” Christie said. “It’s unfortunate for us. There will be more opportunities for our young players to continue to develop and do it in high-leverage moments. We’re here to win basketball games.”
Sacramento owns a league-worst 12-44 record and hasn’t experienced a victory since beating the visiting Washington Wizards 128-115 on Jan. 16. That win was the club’s season-best fourth straight, following triumphs against the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.
This isn’t the first time the franchise has lost 14 consecutive games. When the team was known as the Cincinnati Royals, there were 14-game losing streaks in both the 1959-60 and 1971-72 seasons.
Christie said he is simplifying goals for each game and focusing on individual and team measurements.
“Making sure we go out and play to our standards,” Christie said. “We want to win.”
Orlando also received some bad news regarding an injury development when star forward Franz Wagner (left ankle) was ruled out indefinitely on Wednesday following recent tests.
Wagner has missed 25 of the last 29 games since being injured on Dec. 7. The team said he would be re-evaluated in three weeks.
“There aren’t words that describe what Franz means to this team,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “His toughness, his resilience, his desire and his want to get back on the court. Everybody on this team knows his work ethic and care factor for this group.”
Wagner’s older brother, Moe, recently returned to the court after missing 12-plus months due to an ACL tear in his left knee. Now Moe sees his 24-year-old brother dealing with the ups and downs of being unable to be on the court.
“He’s struggling emotionally,” Moe Wagner, 28, said. “You can see that as a family member.”
Franz Wagner is averaging 21.3 points to tie Paolo Banchero for the team scoring lead. He’s also averaging 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 28 games.
“He’s one of our key pieces of our team,” Banchero said. “We need him out there. But at the same time, we don’t want him coming back before he’s ready.
We just want him to take his time and get all the way healthy.”
Orlando ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the last top-six playoff spot.
The Magic fell 116-108 to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 11 in their final game before the All-Star break. Orlando won three straight before the setback.
Orlando is beginning a four-game trip out west that includes games against the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Magic swept the two-game set with Sacramento last season after losing the previous six matchups.
–Field Level Media
