We have an update on the Domantas Sabonis injury. Sort of.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Sabonis has injured his right hand, and that X-Rays confirmed the injury. Beyond that we lack any sort of details.
X-Rays after Friday’s loss to Washington confirmed the injury and need for further examination. The timeline on a return could depend on pain tolerance to continue playing, or the need to address a more serious injury with Sabonis’ hand.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 24, 2022
We could attempt to read between the lines or speculate what the injury actually is, but that’s a meaningless exercise at this point. The fact that Woj’s report leaves open the possibility that Sabonis might not need to miss any time is what I’m going to cling to as I look for any ray of hope.
Sabonis has been instrumental to Sacramento’s early-season success, and the team has struggled whenever Sabonis is off the floor. Any sort of lengthy absence would be a devastating blow to the Kings as they attempt to end their playoff drought. The Kings currently are 6th in the West, but the 10th place Minnesota Timberwolves are just two games back in the standings.
We’ll continue to wait for an official update from the team, but at this point I suspect it will probably be another day or two (if not longer) before we get a clearer timeline.
Thankfully the Kings have been very transparent, swift and accurate in providing injury information, these last few years.
Also, why the heck was he still on the floor at that point in time? I’m looking at you, coach Brown.
There was about 3.5 minutes left and the lead had been cut to less than 20. As unlikely as it was, there was still a chance at a comeback. I’m not blaming the coach on this one.
With the way the flow of the game was, that likelihood was purely academic.
The Kings were never even remotely in the game.
Brown has done a good job in general, but he’s been riding Domas hard and I’m a bit puzzled by his rotations.
That’s a hindsight call, IMHO, not a karma stroke.
As for the subterfuge, Domas is not just Sacramento’s MVP – the guy who gets his face touched up every darn game is tough-as-nails and I suspect as stoic as they come – just lime his Pops. I wouldn’t doubt that if I cracked open the ol’ Miriam-Webster to look up the term, #10 Kings jersey picture would be there.
The guy showed pain. We’ve seen him shake off elbows to the neck, nose and chin – this was different. I am not confident he is ok. I hopeful that his injury isn’t severe, but if it is – rehab him properly; tomorrow is more important than today.
OK I admit I’m old and I don’r understand the lingo the cool kids say but……………..what does “just lime his Pops” mean?
I mean if I could throw it out in a conversation I might impress a hot post 65 hottie who likes my up to date hip cool talk. Please help me FF…..my future is in your hands
BlueJohn – my apologies; along with being old and fossilized, I am filled with hot air and rear wind.
Self describing my editing skills as poor is a promotion.
Just like his Pops was my intention. Domantas’ Dad is, of course, Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis who, along with his amazing passing skills – arguably the best passing Big of all time, is a tank of a man. I was referring to the reputation of both Father and Son as strong and tough.
You can better impress anyone of your choosing with your natural wit and charm. Any help from me would be a downgrade.
Hope the lucky date can light your beam (and you, theirs).
Happy Holidays!
Agreed. It was highly unlikely the Kings would comeback and the rotation was wacky. Metu has been inconsistent but he’s also had some good games. It seems like he would have matched up well with the Wizards. The Kings also did not play well on either end.
Kang’z fans can’t have good things.
might be a good idea to shut him down for a bit and let him heal up.
Monte deciding to release vague injury update, make a move before it’s leaked that Sabonis has a bad injury, and the Kings lose all trade leverage?
What move?
I’m just spittin’ Greg! Speculating that if the injury is serious it may hurt the Kings leverage in any possible trades. Other GMs are going to know Monte may be desperate to salvage the season. Again, just speculation.
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Dr. Obvious thinks if an X-ray confirmed an injury, he fractured something.
I’m thinking the same thing. My guess is there are going to give it until Monday or Tuesday to let any swelling and inflammation go down then do another x-ray. They want a clearer picture to get a more precise diagnosis and recovery plan.
X-ray? He’ll be imaged more and better before they label a diagnosis.
Xray results will not change with time or inflammation but might do MRI or even a bone scan
but XRay, while limited, will not change with reduced swelling.
Agree. X-Rays don’t pick up most soft tissue injuries. If the first step in their injury diagnosis was to take an X-Ray it would indicate to me that the teams doctors felt like it must involve bone/s in his hand.
X-rays are the quickest imaging they can do. The x-ray may have not shown any bone damage, son”further testing” would be an mri to reveal the soft tissue damage that may be present (ligament, etc)
absolutely. If Xray confirmed or contributed to diagnosis of injury, then there is a broken bone- where, how bad, non-displaced or displaced are important issues.
A fractured bone in the hand could mean 6 weeks.
If the Xray did not confirm an injury = no fracture.
The deliberate ambiguity is to cover for bad news on the Holiday.
He could possibly play with anon displaced fracture of one of the bones in the hand, but would not some cover-protection and this would risk worse injury.
Back to our regular scheduled programming of who to look at in the upcoming draft.
Hopefully this isn’t a season ending injury, but if it is, the league is f’kd:
Fox
KH
Keegan
Wenbayama
Sabonis
Good news is it’s his off hand….bad news, it can only be a fracture
We would have to understand the suspected diagnosis to know what the X-ray is “confirming.” If a ligamentous injury with no bony involvement was suspected, this may be confirmed by an X-ray that shows no fracture.
There is obviously a lot unsaid in the report, but I actually interpret this information to suggest no fracture. If the injury was bony, the treatment is much clearer – requiring at minimum a period of immobilization. Treatment of many ligamentous injuries in the hand are less defined. Some require no treatment but observation. Some require splinting to the adjacent digit. Some require cast immobilization or surgery.
If there was a fracture, I would expect the report to state that he will miss time. The fact that the report indicates it may depend on his ability to play through pain, suggests to me no fracture.
Thank you, Dr. Spider.
me, being the pessimist, drew the opposite conclusion- Xray confirmed fracture- question whether he will play with broken bone.
and it sound like hand, not finger.
I am thinking 6 weeks and hoping for better. But a fracture that requires time to heal cannot be rushed. It is not- a little fracture = 2 weeks, a worse one = 6 weeks. If it is displaced, it would require, however, at least 6 weeks
It all depends on what part of the hand is injured brother. You can have nondisplaced “little” fractures in the hand/wrist that require months of immobilization or surgery.
My point was that if a fracture was confirmed, he would definitely require immobilization at minimum and miss time. Since the report stated there’s a chance he does not miss time, that makes me think no fracture. But time will tell, just one orthopedist’s conjecture.
“X-rays confirmed the injury.” No, x-rays only confirm or exclude a fracture or dislocation. A negative x-ray means a soft tissue injury or bone contusion, which can be of variable severity.
Get well Domas. We need you healthy for the Playoffs 😁. In the meantime how is McGenius search for back up Center going?
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all!!
I work with orthopedic surgeons in med device. X-Rays are not always conclusive in detecting fractures.
This is especially common in stress fractures and wrist fractures.
That is why further testing is going to be done on Sabonis: MRI, CT, and or bone scan
stress fractures are usually due to repetitive use- this sounds like quick sudden trauma.
Man, this injury just sped up Monte’s search for a backup center. Wonder if he can get Poeltl for Holmes + picks, he’s the only big that I can think of that pass plus he’s a good rim protector. He’s the best backup for Domas right now.
The thought of trying to play the same exact system when Sabonis is out is a fool’s errand, IMO.
A good coach adapts his system to his personnel. Brown has done a great job tayloring the system to Sabonis’ strengths, but the idea that his backups could do it at even 50% of the efficiency is misguided.
I’m not sure we can find a suitable backup to shoehorn into that role at an acceptable price. We won’t get Poetl or Mamba that easily.
Got up this morning Christmas day. Merry Christmas to all kings fans, players, personel, and coaches. A special Merry Christmas to all of you who make comments on King’s Herald. Please do not take this personal but I would like to thank two special commentators on this post. One is Adamsite who I personally think is my favorite commentator. He IMO gives me the best insight on the many topics in these posts. I usually agree with him about 90% of the time. The other is Murraytant who usually comments on my hypothetical trade ideas mostly negative but I love it and I think he knows I do it just to keep all of you interested. I called the Pacers the other night and they have agreed to trade Murraytant for Buddy Heild. I know he will have a comment on this but Buddy really wants to come back to the Kings. He said this the other day. Sorry to see you go Murraytant but this is a business.
Truly in the Holiday spirit, Buddy was seen wearing a Sacramento Kings belt buckle and on it, all Christmas-y was a mistletoe.
Oy to the Vorld!
You mean this Buddy Hield?
https://clutchpoints.com/suck-my-dk-pacers-buddy-hields-nsfw-message-kings
Bad trade for Kings, good for Indy.
I know you propose trades for interest. And I propose my non trades
“what is he thinking” for interest as well.
I do not want to go to Indy though- way too cold.
Then we will keep you here.Merry Christmas. Go murraytant. GO KINGS!
thank god Jack. and I got a Murray Kings jersey for Christmas- I am sure it was from you- has #13 on it.
Will wear it proudly- don’t trade me again and don’t trade Keegan.
Agree. Those teams are not trading for a bloated contract and a few seconds. That’s all the kings have to offer.
Won’t happen. Poeltl is worth more than that. San Antonio hands up the phone. 12 mil a year for Holmes and second round picks. Maybe Nerlens Noel or Plumlee is more like it
It’s never a good time. But, the injury happening now is not good. Only 2 games separate the Kings and 10. The Kings have a real soft part of their schedule on Jan 7-20. A real chance to build a little cushion.
Starting Jan 21 through the end of the year, Kings play 30 playoff teams in their last 38 games.
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